Between Deception and Truth
by Lord Archive
Summary: The Akatsuki has begun their hunt and Naruto has only started his training under Jiraiya. The means to protect Naruto goes beyond what any person has ever been asked to undertake before.
1. Mission of the Lost

Sakura ran through the streets of Konoha, dodging the movements of people as they dealt with their own business. She was but a blur to them, as much as her mind was awhirl with thoughts. Jiraiya had returned to Konoha, but Naruto was not with him. Almost thirty months ago the two left for special training, but only the master returned and Sakura wanted to know why.

"No running here!" boomed the commanding voice of Tsunade, leader or Konoha and the most powerful female ninja to have ever lived.

Sakura skidded to a stop in front of Konoha's hospital. "Sorry, master." She sheepishly smiled, quickly brushing her short pink hair back into place. "I heard Jiraiya had returned and I guess I was in a bit of a rush. I was wondering where Naruto was."

Tsunade folded her arms, pushing up her oversized breasts as if they were a sign of her power. "I'm afraid the answer to that isn't simple."

Sakura frowned. "You already know where Naruto is?"

Tsunade nodded gravely. "In the very place I put him."

Sakura blinked in confusion, uncertainly how to phrase what she wanted to ask.

"Your questions will be answered soon." Tsunade opened the door to the hospital. "But first I'd like to hear Jiraiya's report without interruptions."

Sakura sagged and followed her mentor inside. She almost giggled at the nervous greeting Jiraiya gave Tsunade inside the hospital lobby, but then burst out laughing as the legendary frog-summoning sannin was dragged away by his hair by his ex-teammate. She quickly forced herself to stop, mostly due to the harsh glares the medical staff cast her way.

Composing herself, Sakura moved to the reception desk and walked behind it. Nothing was said of it as she had both clearance as a ninja and as a qualified doctor. Looking over the incoming patients' sheets, she failed to find what she was looking for. "Do you have the files on the people Jiraiya brought with him?"

"I'm afraid those have been classified. Only senior medical staff and Konoha council may view those," replied a young teenaged girl sitting at the desk. "I wonder what the fuss is with them. Chief Yakushi seemed rather disturbed about them for some reason."

Sakura mused in thought over what she heard. Something did seem to be up with this situation. However, it wasn't the most important thing on her mind. She would like to talk to them to see if they knew where Naruto was, but if their files were classified then talking to them would be forbidden as well.

The elderly chief medical officer Yakushi walked into the reception area with a slight dazed expression. One of his assistants followed behind with oddly unsettled movements.

"With that level of chakra AND a potential bloodline limit..." The assistant shuddered. "Jiraiya found a monster!"

"Jiraiya found what?" Sakura questioned in surprise.

"Yakumo..." Yakushi hissed.

"Sorry, Chief Yakushi," Yakumo cowered.

Yakushi cast an even look at the girl. "You should know we can not answer that. It's classified above your rank."

Sakura blinked. "What is with everything suddenly being classified over me?"

Tsunade strode into the room, managing to hear her student's question. "There are reasons for all things. Sakura, come with me. Yakushi, send... Jiraiya's two main guests to meet with me when they're ready." Without waiting for a reply, Tsunade whirled around and returned to the meeting room that she had just used to talk with Jiraiya.

Sakura felt nervous for some reason. Everything she had just heard didn't fully add up and she hoped she would be hearing the answers now. She sat down in the chair her mentor pointed to. "What's going on?"

"Well, it's probably best to tell you the whole story from the beginning." Tsunade sighed. She opened her mouth a few times, but kept changing her mind as to what to say. "I guess I should really begin at the beginning. At the time you were born, Konoha was beset by the Kyuubi. A nine-tailed demon that attacked our homes and killed our best ninja."

Sakura nodded. "I've heard this story. Yondaime managed to kill the Kyuubi, but at the cost of his life."

"I'm afraid that's only a half-truth. You see, the Kyuubi is a force of nature. It can no more be killed than a thunderstorm," Tsunade corrected.

"If it can't be killed, how did Yondaime defeat it?" Sakura wondered.

"He trapped the soul and power of the Kyuubi inside the body of an infant," Tsunade told her in a deadly serious voice.

Sakura blinked a few times before her eyes widened in shock. "Are you saying...?"

"Naruto is the living prison of the Kyuubi," Tsunade confirmed.

Sakura slumped back in her chair. "No wonder all our parents seemed so frightened of him."

"Yondaime wanted him to be seen as the hero of Konoha, but Naruto was instead seen as a living reminder of what the Kyuubi took or, worse, as being the demon himself." Tsunade held her hands together. "And it is because of the Kyuubi that Naruto is one of the targets Itachi's group, the Akatsuki, seeks. They want to use the demon's powers for their own ends."

Sakura paled. "Don't tell me that they got Naruto?"

Tsunade shook her head. "While the Akatsuki have managed to track down a few of the demons, the Kyuubi still eludes them."

Sakura didn't feel reassured as her mentor didn't say that Naruto was safe. "What happened to Naruto then?"

Tsunade didn't immediately reply. "I'll get to where Naruto is in due time. First I need to explain how the situation began. And it started after I heard the Akatsuki killed their first demon almost twenty months ago. I knew Naruto was going to be targeted, so I devised a plan that would help hide him from the Akatsuki. But first I had needed approval for the plan as it involved a forbidden jutsu..."

* * *

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 1 - Mission of the Lost**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to and was created by Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

Tsunade stood before the collected leaders of Konoha. Village elders and heads of clans surrounded her as she had to make a special request. One that she could not do even as the Hokage without suffering legal action against her. At the moment, she saw no way around the situation without resorting to the use of one of the most forbidden jutsu ever devised. It was not the most powerful technique. In fact the only person at risk of death was the user, and that was only in a figurative sense. Though she personally knew the technique, being the one who made it, she had never used it to the level she was about to suggest. This was no time for second thoughts.

"The Akatsuki are on the move. They have begun hunting and killing those who possess the tailed demons within them. Their goal and reason for this is yet to be fully known, but there is one thing we can be certain of: the powers of the demons would be used against Konoha and our allies," Tsunade began in earnest.

"And what news is this?" barked a senile old ninja. "We have been aware of the Akatsuki for some time now."

"They are tightening their actions around the known demons. It would be in our best interests to hide the Kyuubi-vessel to keep him further out of their grasps," Tsunade growled in reply, hating the interruption.

"Let them dispose of the Kyuubi and let's be rid of that blight from our village," one of the younger clan heads barked out.

Tsunade's glare threatened death. "The Akatsuki do not seek to destroy the Kyuubi but to harness its power. Naruto is the hero the fourth Hokage selected to save Konoha. He is a citizen of our land, and an excellent ninja who has surpassed the skill level of his rank. He would die for Konoha to save it. And you would sacrifice him, the living prison of a demon, and give that power to our enemy? Do not speak such treason to me again or I shall deal with you appropriately!"

The young clan head shrank back.

Elder Utatane stomped her foot, causing the room to shake. "Let's not rehash old worries, nor question the work of the Fourth. What plan have you devised that requires our approval, Tsunade?"

"Thank you." Tsunade straightened herself. "The Akatsuki know what Naruto looks like and are able to track him. What I request of you is to allow him access to the forbidden technique I devised."

"You would give such an ability to that... _boy_?" cried out one man, choosing his final words carefully to not offend.

"He already abuses the techniques he does know with shameless displays. The ability would be too much in his hands," another protested.

"And when was the last time he has done such things?" Tsunade questioned. "I am aware of the pranks he pulled before becoming a genin, but I have yet to witness such acts in all the time I have known him. Do not judge the ninja for his crimes as child, but the merit of his works now."

"And what of his work now? He is the student of Jiraiya. The technique in the boy's hands is worrisome, but in Jiraiya's hands..." Utatane shuddered. "I fear for the maidens of our world."

"None of you know the technique to the degree that I do. What I would give Naruto is a scroll that would only allow for a single use. Even if Jiraiya was to analyze the scroll, it would be missing key elements in the creation process that would make it nearly impossible for him to reproduce," Tsunade informed them with seeming assuring confidence.

"Accomplishing the 'nearly impossible' is something the legendary sannin excel at," Utatane retorted.

Tsunade smirked. "I'm all too aware of that. We can include orders for the ninja who delivers the scroll to observe Jiraiya for a period of time to ensure he does not attempt to use the scroll for his own ends."

"And what should be made of Naruto after he uses this technique?" the elderly Mitokado asked. "He could not remain with Jiraiya, or the entire point of him using the technique becomes pointless. We will not allow that man to use it."

Tsunade frowned. "True, we will need to come up with something for Naruto."

"And what about guarding the Kyuubi? If Jiraiya is no longer around to protect him, how can we be sure the Akatsuki won't use this as a chance to capture him?" Mitokado pressed.

When Tsunade didn't immediately reply, Hyuga Hiashi spoke up, "The messenger could become the guard. A ninja of skill who would also be subjected to Tsunade's technique to work with Naruto in setting up a reasonable cover."

"There are few ninja of suitable skill that we can afford to lose. And this mission would go beyond the realms of duty for most," Utatane pointed out.

Tsunade rubbed her chin in thought. That wasn't quite what she had in mind, but a secondary guard could suit the purpose just as well. "Yet there would be candidates. If we can get all affected individuals, including the messenger's family to agree, we can go with that route. Or we can go with the alternate plan I've been working on, but you would find that less agreeable as it would have the technique applied to Jiraiya with certain restrictions."

"If you can find a suitable ninja for this role, your plan may have some merit. I will hold my vote until the details have been dealt with," Mitokado stated firmly.

Tsunade smiled slightly seeing the assembled leaders nod to the elder ninja's words. This plan was functionally approved. Writing up the full mission briefing would only face opposition if a fault was found within it. And she would be sure there was nothing wrong with one of her plans.

* * *

Winds blew through the streets of Konoha, ruffling the robes that most of the heads of clan and village elders wore as they made their ways to their homes and places of work. While many of them quickly left the council area, a few still strangled behind.

"I would speak with you," Hiashi spoke cold, yet firmly. He hated waiting for any one, especially a woman.

Tsunade scowled, yet another distraction from getting her plans and work accomplished. She turned toward the head of the Hyuga clan, failing to hide her annoyance. "Is there something you wanted?"

"I have a candidate in mind for your mission," Hiashi stated evenly.

Tsunade frowned. "I should have figured as much since it was your idea. Who would you send on this task?" She had a rather good guess, especially since the Hyuga clan head might know the possible side-effect that her technique could do to a bloodline ability.

"I believe my daughter, Hinata, would both be willing and, as newly promoted to Chuunin, suitably skilled for this," Hiashi recommended, a faint quiver in his voice betraying some emotion in his words.

That had not been Tsunade's guess. "Hyuga, you know what I am suggesting to be done. Once the technique is used, she would no longer be considered YOUR daughter."

"I am well aware of that. I also know there's a risk she might lose the abilities of our family." Hiashi let out a strange sigh. "I love my daughter, but Hinata is not a pillar that can support the Hyuga clan. She may have proven herself a capable ninja, but her temperament ill suits the heir of the clan. I firmly believe she would be happier without the burden of leading the family weighing over her."

"You would be placing all your hopes onto Hanabi. Do you believe she will do any better than her elder sister?" Tsunade questioned skeptically.

"Whether Hanabi does better or worse, this would allow me to save her from being relegated to the branch family," Hiashi admitted.

"You would disown one daughter to save the other?" Tsunade asked incredulously.

Hiashi gave a shallow nod. "Do not think this is an easy decision for me. I do not wish to lose either daughter. However, this mission would be exactly what Hinata would dream of."

"She would be partnered with Naruto, likely with a cover story of them being runaway lovers or something similar," Tsunade pointed out.

Hiashi looked away. "Exactly. Hinata admires and... likes Naruto. While the Kyuubi does worry me, the boy showed his worth to me when he defeated Neji at the Chuunin exam."

Tsunade almost ordered him to tell Hinata everything then send the girl to her, but then thought better of it. "Send Hinata to me after dinner tonight. Do not speak of the mission or Naruto to her."

"I was hoping to warn her of her mission," Hiashi requested.

Tsunade shook her head. "Coming from you, it would hurt her, making her feel as if she was being disowned completely. From me, it is a high ranking mission that she can reject."

Hiashi contemplated her words. "I see your point. By you telling her, she would have to ask me to be disowned rather than having me ask her if she wants to be. I shall leave it to you then."

* * *

Hinata stared at the Hokage Mountain, her eyes almost pleading with the stone faces of the past hokage to answer the questions in her mind. The sun had set a long time ago, but she hardly noticed. The mission Tsunade asked her to undertake was unlike any mission she had ever expected to have. In fact, while similar tasks had been assigned to others in the past, she would be the first to take the job to the degree requested. There could be no half-measures in this.

"There you are."

Hinata spun around quickly, but did not fully relax at the sight of her cousin. "Was there something you wanted, Neji-niisan?"

"Your father is worried about you. Do you know what time it is?" Neji grumbled.

"Sorry." Hinata turned away from him, but her eyes never left him thanks the ability granted to her by her bloodline. "Tsunade-sama briefed me on a mission that she wants me to take, and I don't know whether or not I should accept it."

Neji looked puzzled. "What sort of mission allows you to refuse it?"

Hinata didn't immediately reply. "You remember how you used to say your destiny is predetermined at birth? That you cannot change your lot in life?"

Neji frowned. "Of course. Naruto proved how wrong those words were."

"There was some truth in them, Neji-niisan." Hinata sighed. "No matter what I do, I could not escape being the first born daughter of the head of the Hyuga clan."

Neji blinked in confusion. "I don't follow you."

"If I was to take this mission, I would be changing my destiny. I would have to forsake the Hyuga clan and forge a completely new path," Hinata admitted.

"That isn't possible. You can't just stop being a Hyuga. The clan is your blood," Neji asserted.

Hinata shook her head. "I can't tell you the details, but in a way I won't even have the Hyuga blood."

"Assuming there was a way to do as you suggest, why would you accept such a thing?" Neji questioned harshly.

Hinata fidgeted, her pale face turning a deep red. "To protect Naruto-kun. There is... something special with Naruto-kun. He has been targeted by S-ranked criminals, and I would need to leave the Hyuga clan, at least for a time, in order to help keep him safe."

Neji folded his arms. He had a guess what the something 'special' might be. While he had never heard anything, few things could escape his eyes. And if S-ranked criminals wanted Naruto, it only served to support his hunch on just how the lowest ranked student could have beaten him during the chuunin-exams. "Do you know why these criminals want him?"

Hinata nodded. "Don't ask me to tell you what it is. I can't tell you. I'm still trying to accept it myself. But it answers so many questions. Why he was such an outcast."

"Knowing this you still want to protect him?" Neji questioned.

Hinata eyed her cousin, his tone suggesting he knew the secret. "I... Yes, I want to protect him... but I don't want to lose my family either."

"What happens if you decline?" Neji wondered.

Hinata's hands gripped the observation fence railing tightly. "Someone else would be given the mission. Probably Sakura-san."

"Why not let her take your place? She would certainly protect him," Neji advised firmly.

"I don't want her to do that. I don't want to her to take my place. I want to be the one with Naruto-kun, not her," Hinata protested on the verge of tears.

"And what about your family? Your duty to the clan?" Neji shot at her. "Would you really throw away everything I can never achieve just for Naruto?"

"Father wishes I was not heir to the clan, nor do I wish to take control of it. There's no way I can do anything that would be required of me. No matter what you've said to me or done to me, I have never activated your seal. Even when we fought each other during the prelims of our first Chuunin exam, one move would have defeated you, but I couldn't do it." Hinata collapsed to the ground sobbing. "If I can't even assert myself over someone in the branch family, how I can expect to make anyone in the main family follow me? I'm willing to sacrifice myself, but I can't hurt those I care about."

Neji scowled at the girl. "Living is about hurting and healing. Destiny or not, you can't escape that. Throughout life you make decisions that will help some and hurt others. When you took up your blade as a ninja to protect Konoha, you made a decision to physically hurt those who would seek to harm our city. This decision is no different. Someone will be hurt with your answer, regardless of your choice. And you must make it as no answer is the same as saying, 'no.'"

"I know that!" Hinata cried out. "But this is my life! How can I answer a question like this one?"

"Do you really want to change, Hinata?" Neji chided the girl. "Or do you want to play it safe? You can decide to accept this mission and take control of your destiny, or you can stay at home and let your life remain as it is. I can't make this decision for you, nor can your father. You have to decide."

"Do you think I should take it?" Hinata asked with a touch of hope in her voice.

Neji walked up to the girl. "My eyes can see a lot of things." He tapped her chest. "But I can't see inside a person's heart. All the reason in the world won't help you with this question, only your heart holds the answer. Listen to your feelings. I believe your heart has already decided, but your head isn't ready to accept everything that goes with it." He took a few steps away from her. "I'll let your father know where you are." He then leapt away, jumping from rooftops to speed him towards the Hyuga clan residence.

"I'm sorry, Neji-niisan." Hinata choked backed her tears. "I'm sorry... father."

* * *

Sakura sighed as she entered the Hokage's office. The never-ending pile of paperwork always seemed to get worse, and her teacher of medical ninjutsu was not exactly a sterling example of an efficient worker. There were so many stacks of paper cluttering the desk, tables and floor, she had to look around before confirming that Tsunade was not in the room.

As student and assistant to the Hokage, Sakura found herself at the receiving end of filing the lesser paper work. She didn't worry about looking at the files sitting on top of the desk. Rarely was there anything above her rank left around in the office, and the few things she had seen above her rank she was given retroactive approval to see it. Of course, being able to see something didn't mean understanding it. In this case, the files were of a handful of children, all deceased.

Almost against her will, Sakura picked up one of the files. Looking upon the picture, she whispered, "Ami."

"You knew her?" Tsunade questioned, stomping irritably toward her desk.

Sakura jumped, having failed to realize her master had returned. She composed herself quickly. "All too well. She bullied me when I started the academy."

Tsunade plopped down into her chair. "I see."

"I can't help but remember her funeral. There was only ten people there, none of whom were her so-called 'friends.'" Sakura smirked sadly. "Now that I think of her and what she did, I understand now she wasn't being mean to me because she hated me, but because I had been an easy target for her. She wanted to make herself look important, to be recognized."

"Getting herself killed attempting a jounin level skill when she was barely a student certainly suggests she was screaming for attention," Tsunade commented blandly.

"And of her groupies, not one of them moved to save her. They goaded her on and it wasn't until she was dead that one of them went to find a teacher," Sakura remembered somberly.

"I take it you don't hate her for what she did to you," Tsunade noted.

Sakura shook her head. "Not at all. In fact if I was to see her today, I'd tell her, 'Thank you.'" She smirked a little. "Ami was my first adversary. While Ino largely helped me to 'defeat' her, Ami still ended up pushing me to become stronger."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised at hearing this. She didn't exactly have a happy childhood; orphaned on the day she was born. Her father in battle, and her mother from lack of attention during her troubled delivery as most of the medic-nin were on the battlefield." Tsunade tapped her finger on her desk. "It could've easily been her."

Sakura blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"Don't mind me. Just thinking about all the children made orphans that day." Tsunade picked up a file on her desk and read into it. "Know anything about Nara Kuro?"

Sakura paused in thought. "Never really met him. He died of some disease, right?"

"Yes." Tsunade scrunched her eyebrows as she read the file.

"Why are you looking at these files?" Sakura wondered.

"They're part of a special project of mine. I'm afraid I can't let you know any more about it," Tsunade answered offhandedly.

"That top secret, huh?" Sakura guessed.

Tsunade nodded. "If I could tell you the reason, you'd understand and accept it."

Sakura huffed in annoyance, not sure if she should believe her teacher.

Tsunade was more than a little tempted to tell the girl. However, it was because the girl was so involved in the situation that telling her would be too great a risk. When the Akatsuki lose track of Naruto, they will try to find him by any means necessary. And Sakura would be a potential target for them to capture and interrogate, having been Naruto's former teammate. If she didn't know where he was or anything about the jutsu, they wouldn't be able to find out anything from her.

"Uchiha Tatewaki, huh?" Sakura picked up another file. "I sort of remember him. He had some sort of beef with Sasuke-kun before... you know..."

Tsunade snatched the file from the girl. "Ah, yes. He was Sasuke's third cousin. According to the file his parents were both of the Uchiha clan and that their marriage was arranged. Probably as insurance in case Sasuke's father failed to produce a legitimate heir to the clan. According to the Anbu, Itachi was particularly vicious in murdering Tatewaki."

"Hearing about the fuss the Hyuga and Uchiha clans go through, I'm kind of glad mine doesn't have a bloodline ability." Sakura then huffed. "Would've been nice if my family had something that helped give me some sort of edge, though."

"A loving family may be the strongest asset they could've ever given you," Tsunade told her sagely. "That's something Ami, Sasuke and Naruto probably would've traded all their skills away for."

"I guess, though it's hard for me to consider their position. I wouldn't mind being on my own, and not hearing my mother nagging me." Sakura sighed. "But I don't know how I'd cope if I knew I'd never hear her voice again."

"Well, I guess it's good I get to go through with this on my first choice," Tsunade whispered to herself.

Sakura looked at her teacher. "Huh? I didn't hear you."

"It's nothing. I'm going to have my hands full with this project today. I'm going to need you to run a few of my errands for me." Tsunade held up a list of jobs.

Sakura took the list and groaned while reading it. "This is going to take all day at least."

"Then I suggest you get started," Tsunade ordered. She slumped back into her seat after the girl left. For the range and suitable material, she didn't have a lot of choices. In fact, she was pretty sure of the nine that she could use, which two were going to be selected. There was one distinct problem, that the choices seemed to be good matches for the wrong candidates. She morbidly wished that there was a Hyuga or Uchiha girl of the appropriate age to have died.

Tsunade realized she was merely delaying herself with her thoughts. "I should follow my own suggestions and get started."

* * *

In the early morning hours, Tsunade stood before a small number of the Hyuga clan holding out a canvas sack. "You are to keep as low a profile you can until you find Jiraiya and Naruto. Give these scrolls to Jiraiya, and he'll know how to use them."

"I understand." Hinata nervously took the bag, and carefully put it inside her backpack.

"Remember to keep an eye on Jiraiya while he has these scrolls and for some time after that. If he does something prohibited, you are to send a message to me as soon as you can without revealing your position," Tsunade reminded.

"Yes, ma'am." Hinata nodded.

"This is your last chance to back out of this mission," Tsunade warned.

"I've been fighting to change myself. This will give me a blank slate to work from," Hinata asserted weakly.

"Do Konoha proud," Tsunade wished.

"I will," Hinata promised. She then walked over to her family. "I guess this is good-bye. Neji-niisan, I've always felt like you were my brother. I know you'll do well for Konoha and the Hyuga clan." Her eyes moved from her cousin to her little sister. "Hanabi, I'm afraid I'm leaving you with all the responsibilities I should've had, but never forget this is your life. You can forge your own path." She then gulped looking up at her father. "I'm sorry I have to leave you. I... I love you, Father."

Hiashi stepped forward stiffly and awkwardly gave his eldest daughter a hug. "I feel as if I'm the one who should be sorry that you would decide to choose this path. No matter what, you are my daughter and you will have a home to return to no matter what the outcome."

Hinata fought the urge to cry. She was leaving as a proud ninja of Konoha, and ninja do not cry. "Goodbye, everyone." Her family and Tsunade returned her farewell, before the girl vanished into the night.

* * *

Sakura appraised the young woman that had joined them. It had been a long time since she had seen Hinata, and she had hardly recognized the girl. Her posture was straight and full of confidence, so unlike the shy girl that watched Naruto from afar. When Hinata left, all anyone could get about where she went was that the girl was on a mission. And apparently her job was to act as a guard for Naruto, something Sakura believed Hinata would've enjoyed very much. The girl even left her clan for him. But Sakura still had so many questions. "If Hinata was supposed to be Naruto's guardian, where is he now?"

Tsunade glared at her student. "As I've told you several times before, we'll be explaining that in due time. Don't ask that again. You will find out soon enough."

Sakura huffed, hating how they seemed to be beating around the bush. Why couldn't they just tell her? "When did you get here, Hinata? The guards at the gate didn't mention you had arrived as well."

"There is a reason for that," Hinata replied in a steady voice. "I'm technically 'not here.'"

"I don't follow. And what does this have to do with bringing up the files of dead children Tsunade was looking at?" Sakura persisted.

"Everything, Sakura-san. Everything," Hinata stated firmly.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Chapter 2: Jutsu Revealed The secrets are revealed as Sakura learns what happened to Naruto.

Blame Canis Black for this. He passed me the idea and it was so up my alley. I try to avoid writing for a series that is incomplete, but in this case it's such a thorough divergence that I can work with it.


	2. Jutsu Revealed

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 2 - Jutsu Revealed**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to and was created by Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

The brown haired, brown eyed, almost too normal looking young man sat at the end of a bar, drinking tea. He paid no mind to the buxom barmaid flirting with him, rather he listened intently to the various conversations going on. After a half-hour of hearing little more than excessive male egos, he finally turned toward the barmaid and asked, "You wouldn't happen to have seen a man with a large mass of white hair and dressed oddly? The pervert spied on my sister in the bath, but ran away before he could be punished."

The barmaid folded her arms, accenting her ample chest. "Sorry, Dear, haven't seen anyone like that here. Though if the guy is a pervert, you may want to try asking the brothel down the street."

The man nodded. He paid for his drink and barely gave a tip before leaving.

The barmaid pouted. It was rare for any guy not to tip her well.

After leaving the bar the young man turned toward and entered an alleyway. With an explosion of smoke, a young and reasonably attractive, blond-haired, young woman emerged. She would need to play on the sympathy of the prostitutes if she was going to get any information from them. If she were to appear to them as a guy, they would expect money and she didn't have much left after a week of traveling and searching. Not to mention her henge was illusionary. If a prostitute tried to feel 'him' up, they wouldn't find what they were expecting.

"Where are you, Naruto-kun?" Hinata wondered through her disguise.

* * *

Almost three weeks into her journey, Hinata now had to resort to working odd jobs just to maintain traveling expenses, not wanting to touch the money she set aside for when she found Naruto and a place for them to hide. She discovered working actually helped in gathering information as she had been able to garner some trust from the people she worked with. Course, all the physical jobs she took were done while having the appearance of a man. Today had been much the same, and she was quite sore from the work she did.

Taking a dip in hot springs, Hinata wished she were alone so she could drop her appearance as a young, attractive woman. However, a daughter of the Hyuuga clan wandering by herself would be an invitation for rival hidden villages to attack and kill her for the secret of her eyes.

Sighing with contentment for the moment, she relaxed as the warm waters soothed her aches. After a moment she thought she heard something. As discreetly as she could, she performed a series of signs and whispered, "Byakugan."

Hinata didn't know if she should be upset or excited. Just on the other side of the wall was Jiraiya, spying on the women in the bath. She was sickened seeing one of his hands rubbing himself over the crotch of his pants. She bit down the temptation to either run away or give the lech the pounding of a lifetime. She was quite thankful that Tsunade had warned her of this, and that Naruto wasn't sharing in the perversion of his teacher.

As calmly as she could, Hinata exited the bath, unfortunately giving Jiraiya a good look at her false naked image. Once in the changing room, she rushed getting dressed and ran out of the bathhouse. Mixed emotions still filled her as she found the legendary ninja still spying on the bathing girls.

"Jiraiya...sama," Hinata found it hard to say the appropriate honorific for the perverted man who could've easily become the fifth Hokage and ruler of her village.

"Whoa! Mama!" Jiraiya called out excitedly at the sight of the blond bombshell in front of him. He might have ran if she looked ready to attack him. His eyes then bulged as the woman disappeared in a puff of smoke and was replaced by a daughter of the Hyuuga clan.

"I have news from Tsunade-sama," Hinata told him evenly.

Jiraiya frowned. "I'm probably not going to like it, am I?"

"I'm not sure about you, but Naruto-kun probably won't like it at all," Hinata replied while looking away uncertainly.

Jiraiya appraised the modest girl in front of him and thought back to the henge she had used. "You've seen Naruto's Sexy No Jutsu, haven't you?"

Hinata blushed and nodded.

* * *

"What the hell is she thinking?" Jiraiya bellowed from the room he locked himself in.

Naruto looked at the closed door. "Do you know what this is about?"

Hinata nodded shyly, while watching Jiraiya intently with the ability her eyes granted her.

Naruto folded his arms in annoyance. "Care to tell me about it?"

Hinata would've looked away if it would have had done anything. "The Akatsuki have started to move. They want the Kyuubi."

Naruto's eyes widened. "You... know?"

Hinata nodded. "Tsunade-sama explained it all to me."

"Granny did that, huh?" Naruto slouched.

Hinata hid the blush on her face. "Tsunade-sama also explained what our next mission will be."

"'OUR next mission?'" Naruto repeated.

"Yes," Hinata confirmed. "I am to help you hide from the Akatsuki until you are ready to face them."

"I don't need to hide! I'll take them on now!" Naruto vowed.

"Naruto-kun, just two of the Akatsuki tracked down and killed a ninja possessed by one of the tailed demons. He had been able to access the powers of the demon, yet he still fell to them. You might be able to stand up to one, but all ten?" Hinata's voice took a pleading tone.

Naruto slammed his right fist into the palm of his left hand. "And I'm supposed to just HIDE from them? Itachi has seen me. He knows what I look like. He could track me down no matter where I go. I'd rather take it to him first."

"Tsunade-sama has seen to take care of that. Not even Kiba-kun and Neji-niisan working together would be able to track you. It will give you the time you need to train and be strong enough to face your enemies," Hinata shyly tried to say firmly.

Naruto's eyes squinted. "How will that happen?"

"You won't be yourself," Jiraiya announced bitterly, stomping into the room. He held up two identical scrolls. "You know how your transformational henge works to make your body into something else? Well, this will make it permanent. You will become the person templated into the scroll, down to the chakra."

Naruto's eye's widened in shock. "I won't be ME anymore? What about the Kyuubi?"

Jiraiya folded his arms. "When you use the scroll, I'll be right there to make sure the seals stay in place. The only difference to you will be your body and the feel of your chakra."

"There is a way to return to your original form. And with the Tsunade-sama's technique it won't be a real sacrifice. It'll return when you use the scroll," Hinata informed.

"What will return?" Naruto wondered.

Hinata lifted her right leg and took off her shoe.

Naruto's heart leapt to his throat seeing that the girl was missing a toe. "What the hell?"

"With just your toe, Tsunade-sama will make a counter-scroll. One that will return you to your real body," Hinata explained.

Jiraiya started muttering curses under his breath.

"Why are you missing a toe?" Naruto demanded.

Hinata gazed at the floor. "I already told you, I'm to help you hide. It would be of little help if Jiraiya or a Hyuuga was with you after you've used the technique. Once I use one of the scrolls, I will have the toe back."

"Wait? Then who's supposed to teach me?" Naruto demanded.

"Tsunade-sama thought of that, too. She gave me scrolls for us to train with," Hinata answered shyly.

"I have one question for you," Jiraiya leveled his gaze at the girl. "What good will you do as a 'guard' for Naruto if you lose your bloodline ability?"

"First of all, the primary goal is to avoid letting anyone know where Naruto and the Kyuubi are. So long as we maintain cover, there should be nothing for us to fight." Hinata shifted uneasily. "Also, I have not devoted myself entirely to the use of the Byakugan. I don't have full access to my clan's abilities like Neji-niisan has, and I know I will never master them like he has. While I have developed some advanced skills, my best ability doesn't actually require my eyes to use it. Also, Kurenai-sensei's instructed me to keep myself open to other skills."

"Isn't Kurenai a master of genjutsu?" Jiraiya wondered.

Hinata nodded. "While Kurenai-sensei does encourage mastery of ones skills, she also advised to not overly specialize. She has run into opponents who were immune to genjutsu and needed to use skills other than illusions in order to win those fights."

"And how skilled are you without your eyes?" Jiraiya pressed.

"Well, I succeeded in becoming a chuunin by defeating a ninja specialized in long-ranged distance attack. While he was gloating about how my eyes were 'useless' against him, he failed to realize he had been trapped within a genjutsu I had cast on him." Hinata blushed in embarrassment. "I didn't even activate my eyes during the entire fight. All it took was for me to drop the illusion when I was next to him with a pair of kunai poking him at his... weakest points to make him surrender."

Naruto blinked. "You're a chuunin already?"

Hinata nodded. "Yes, during the tests held last month."

"Who else is chuunin now?" Naruto grumbled.

"Neji-niisan and Shino-san became chuunin a half-year ago, while Chouji-san became one with me," Hinata answered. "Sakura-san might've made chuunin, but she was busy working on something with Tsunade-sama."

"Chouji? HE beat ME to chuunin!" Naruto plopped onto the floor. "Man, this stinks. I can't believe I've been left behind. Even you're ahead of me now."

Jiraiya let out a low chuckle. "Could be worse, boy. And don't be upset at your wife."

"WIFE?" Naruto shouted.

Hinata swallowed nervously. "While hiding, we are to pretend to be young lovers running away from disapproving family members."

"No kidding your Dad would disapprove," Naruto muttered darkly.

Hinata let out a strange laugh. "Actually, my being here was actually his idea."

Naruto looked completely confused. "Why would HE send YOU here to be with ME?"

Hinata began to stammer, unable to offer a reply beyond blushing madly.

Jiraiya let out an amused laugh at Hinata's expense.

* * *

"Just wait a second!" Sakura cried out, slapping her hands down on the table, cracking it slightly. "Are you saying you had Naruto and Hinata take the full bodies of other people?"

Hinata nodded. "And it worked, perhaps too well."

"How was this even possible? Body, blood, and chakra? How did you ever come up with such a technique?" Sakura demanded from her teacher.

Tsunade merely glared at her student. "You heard about the toe. I originally intended it as a means to regenerate lost limbs by having a person henge, permanently, into their own body. However, as I was working on it, Orochimaru pointed out that such a jutsu could be used for other applications. With it, I could henge into a ninja from the Hidden Village of Stone and assassinate someone from the Hidden Village of Mists, then henge back into my real body and there would be no means to prove that it wasn't the Stone ninja who did it. And if knowledge of how to use the jutsu became widespread, a ninja could commit untold numbers of crimes and it would be nearly impossible to prove he had done it. As such, while the jutsu may have some incredible benefits, the risks and potential damages outweighed the rewards. Still, I have used bits and pieces of the jutsu, mostly to keep myself young-"

"And to give herself a chest," Jiraiya chirped devilishly, and got smacked in the head by the glass that the hokage had been drinking out of.

"As I was saying..." Tsunade glared at her ex-teammate. "I have been finding applications of the jutsu in other ways, including using aspects of the technique to aid in regenerating Rock Lee's damaged spine."

"Why can't medic-nin at least know how to use it?" Sakura pressed.

"Kabuto," was all the answer Tsunade needed to say.

Sakura sagged. "If Kabuto had been taught that jutsu, what Orochimaru could do..." She shuddered.

* * *

It took all of Hinata's willpower to hold Naruto down while Jiraiya cut off the boy's toe with a burning knife. She wasn't sure who wanted to scream more, Naruto or herself.

Shivering in pain, Naruto sat up cautiously, unwilling to look at his damaged foot. "Okay, give me the scroll and let's get this done with."

Jiraiya pulled out the two transformational scrolls. "Hinata, do you know which one is which?"

"I can tell the difference between them, but..." Hinata swallowed nervously.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "But?"

Hinata turned away from them. "One scroll contains the form of a distant cousin of mine. With it I would have a better chance to keep my eyes or the ability might change to something else. The other scroll holds a cousin of Naruto's, not as distant as my cousin, but still not close enough that you would really use that term to refer to the relationship. While the chakra level is lower than Naruto-kun's, there would still be more than you have, Jiraiya-sama."

"I have a cousin?" Naruto wondered. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Had a cousin, and not all that closely related," Hinata corrected. "In a sense all of Konoha are our cousins. Just some more closely related than others."

"Oh." Naruto sagged.

Jiraiya frowned at the way the girl presented this. "There's a problem with this, isn't there?"

Hinata nodded shyly. "The scroll of my distant cousin is of a guy, while the one for Naruto-kun's is a girl. It really amounts to which is more important, our ninja skills or our gender."

Jiraiya rubbed his chin. "So basically, if Naruto wants to keep Rasengan, he would have to become a girl. If he was to remain a boy, he MIGHT develop a bloodline limit with his new eyes."

Hinata shifted nervously. "Even if he did, it could take years of training to use any abilities from them."

"So I'd be a kick-ass girl or a pansy-ass Hyuuga, huh?" Naruto growled. "Yeah, that's some fucking choice."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "You can guess which one I think is better."

Naruto scowled at him. "Of course you'd say go for the better power, Pervert-Sennin."

"It would help you achieve your goal to bring Sasuke back," Jiraiya reminded.

Naruto turned and gazed at the girl with them. "Do you want to remain a girl?"

Hinata nervously pressed her fingers together while blushing madly. "I... I want to protect you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto growled as he lashed out and grabbed one of the scrolls. "Let's get this fucking over with."

"Take off your shirt first so I can apply a seal quickly if needed. Hinata, keep an eye on his chakra. If you see a second set that isn't human, tell me immediately," Jiraiya ordered.

"Naruto-kun, do you want to know which scroll that is?" Hinata questioned nervously.

The boy didn't reply as he struggled to remove his shirt. Setting it aside, he didn't look at her when he answered, "No."

Hinata's throat felt extremely dry, and swallowing did nothing to soothe her. She kept her eyes off the scroll as she activated the Byakugan for perhaps the last time and began to watch him intently.

Naruto opened the scroll and quickly read what he needed to do. He noted that there were some similarities to a summoning jutsu. He bit into his finger and splashed a line of his blood onto the scroll before doing the require hand seals. Power seemed to flare as he slapped his hands to the designated spots on the scroll.

While Naruto's body became obscured by smoke, Hinata could still see through it. She now knew very well which scroll her crush had grabbed. But that was of little importance at the moment. "Jiraiya-sama!"

The girl didn't need to say anything more as already the fiery chakra began to fill the room. Jiraiya's hands flared with spectral fire as he drove his fingers into Naruto's waist. Immediately, the Kyuubi's presence faded from the room, but the legendary ninja didn't let his guard down. He focused on the task to make sure that the monstrous tailed-demon was properly sealed inside the living prison.

* * *

Sakura's mouth was agape. She didn't know what to think. "Which scroll did Naruto use?"

"Hello, Sakura-chan."

The pink haired teenager turned around and wanted to scream. While physically older than Sakura remembered, she would never forget the purple hair and those cruel brown eyes of her first enemy. But the person standing before her wasn't Ami. "Naruto... Is that really... you?"

A sad smirk played on the girl's face and the brown eyes spoke more of joking mischief than bullying pranks. "Afraid so. You won't have ta worry about me chasing after you now."

Sakura turned away and not believing her eyes or ears. Her eyes bulged as Hinata disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing a young man with raven-black hair and serious brown eyes. She shook as she stood up. "Excuse me, I need a drink of water."

Naruto let out a short chuckle. "She took it better than I did."

Hinata shared in the laugh, his hand touching his face where he had once bore an injury, but had been healed for some time. "We both had issues adjusting to the changes."

* * *

Chapter 3: A New Life Adjustment issues plague Naruto and Hinata as they must deal with their bodies and with the relationship they're supposed to have while hiding.


	3. A New Life

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 3 - A New Life**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

Sakura gazed over Konoha from the roof of the hospital. Leaving to get water to drink was a blatant lie when there was a pitcher of water in the conference room. She needed to think, to come to terms. Naruto had been something of a little brother to her. With Sasuke's rejection of her, she had considered attempting a relationship with Naruto if he had matured enough by the time he returned to Konoha. But now that had been all flipped upside down. Naruto had been turned into a girl and her teacher had never bothered to tell her about it.

"Thought I'd find you here," called out a familiar male voice.

Sakura turned around and saw the young man she had been waiting for. She gazed at him hoping to see some sign that 'Ami' had been some joke and that this really was Naruto returned. An itch in her mind told her otherwise. The face before her was an illusion. She blinked. "You're using an illusionary henge?"

Naruto laughed. "My old body had no ability for genjutsu. Still no master, but I can at least do a few things with it."

Sakura smirked. "I see being a girl didn't do much for your way of speaking."

Naruto folded his arms. "I may have a different face, but I'm still me."

Sakura glared. "It's more than a different face. You're a girl!"

Naruto looked away. "Yeah. If you think you're having a hard time with this, think about what I had to go through. I didn't even know about periods and crap like that until I was experiencing them."

Sakura paled sickly. "You've had periods?"

Naruto nodded slowly. "Oh, yeah. I've had them."

Sakura shifted nervously. "So... when will you be switching back?"

Naruto walked up next to her. "I'm not sure."

Sakura's eyes went wide. "Why?"

The false boy turned away. "Sakura-chan, the Akatsuki is still out there hunting for a boy named 'Uzumaki Naruto,' not a girl named 'Yamada Ai.'"

Sakura almost wanted to laugh at the overly common name. "I didn't think you'd want to still be hiding."

"I don't want to hide, but there are issues that need to be dealt with. Suddenly reappearing could cause serious problems. It's part of the reason why my 'return' hasn't been announced. We have yet to decide what to do next." Naruto smiled sheepishly. "At least this time you'll be in on the decision."

Sakura wished that she had been left in the dark until after the boy she knew had been returned to normal.

* * *

In the week after Naruto's transformation into a girl, Hinata had remained as she was while Jiraiya worked with Naruto in regaining chakra control while at the same time making sure the Kyuubi was properly sealed. Not to mention honing her own abilities that didn't rely on Byakugan.

The new girl had poured herself into the training and didn't let herself dwell on the changes of her body. Though Hinata was having issues reconciling the purple haired girl with a chest larger than her own was in fact her crush. Oddly, the transformation made it easier to talk to Naruto. She held no feelings for girls, so her infatuation and nervousness over the boy who never quit didn't carry over to the girl who never quit. She still wanted to protect Naruto, but her mind didn't go to odd places anymore.

Hinata had held onto the scroll that was now meant for her. With Jiraiya's assertion that Naruto was in no immediate danger of succumbing to the Kyuubi, she prepared herself to use it. Because of the warnings from Tsunade and her own idea of just how bad Jiraiya could be in the body of a teenage boy, she retrieved the scroll from where she had hidden it while the legendary ninja was training Naruto.

Swallowing nervously, Hinata opened the scroll. She studied the writing thoroughly, not wanting to make a mistake. She then followed the motions that Naruto had made a week earlier. Power ripped through her being as her body was enshrouded in smoke.

Hinata tried to remain calm, and immediately tried to activate Byakugan several times to no effect. Sighing in defeat, Hinata approached a mirror and let out a strange scream before collapsing into unconsciousness.

* * *

Hinata awoke to a purple haired girl with a suspicious look upon her face. "Naruto-kun?"

The girl's eyes squinted harder. "Is that really you?"

Hinata blinked while trying to sit up, with arms and legs restrained. "Why am I tied up?"

"Finding an unknown boy lying in the middle of the floor of our apartment? You do the math," Jiraiya groused from the other side of the room.

"Unknown... boy?" Hinata shuddered. "Right... I used the jutsu. I wasn't prepared to see my... face... like this." He almost wanted to start crying. "I was Hyuuga Hinata, now I don't know who I am. I have no Byakugan."

Naruto shifted uneasily while tears began to pool in the boy's eyes. She released the binding ropes from the boy, who proceeded to curl up into a ball. She wasn't sure what to say. "Ah, come on. It's not that bad being a guy."

"I've lost everything. My clan, my blood, my name, everything." Hinata sobbed loudly. "What do I do now?"

Jiraiya glared at the hysterical boy. "You know what you have to do now. This is what you came here for. Your goal hasn't changed, just your body."

Hinata swallowed back his tears. His goal was to protect Naruto. That was why he had left his clan and gave up his true body. "I'm sorry. I wasn't as prepared for this as I thought."

"Just don't try to think about it," Naruto advised. "Work on making yourself stronger and find how your new body works."

"R-right," Hinata replied shakily, glancing at his new black haired, brown-eyed face in the mirror caused him to shudder. "I suppose we should also start using our cover names. So we can get used to them before we're on our own."

"What are your cover names?" Jiraiya asked.

"I'm to use Yamada Jiro," Hinata replied.

"How common can you get?" Naruto griped. "Aren't we supposed to pick names not so blatantly normal?"

"As our cover is being runaway lovers, using amateurish names will be to our benefit as we want it to be obvious those aren't our real names. Anyone hunting for the Kyuubi wouldn't think we'd use such a simplistic name," Hinata explained.

"What name do I get?" Naruto wondered.

"Tsunade-sama left that for you to decide," Hinata replied.

Naruto scrunched her eyes in thought. She wasn't any good at naming anything. Her first thoughts were names of girls she knew, but that wouldn't be a good choice even if 'Sakura' was rather common. She then thought of Gaara and the tattoo above the sand-nin's eye. "Ai. I guess I'll be 'Yamada Ai.'"

Jiraiya chuckled at the name, while Hinata's face turned deep red.

* * *

Another week of training followed the transformation into Jiro, this time focusing on getting the boy to harness and control his chakra. He didn't quite have the finite control of his chakra he had as a girl, causing him to lose all the abilities and higher arts of the Byakugan, but his genjutsu had become noticeably more potent. Though the bigger surprise was that Ai had some genjutsu ability where Naruto had none.

Still, Jiro could not believe how easily Ai took to the change of body and gender. Even going the bathroom had been an adventure. Hinata had never gotten a good look at a guy's privates before, even though her eyes and Kiba's lack of modesty had given her opportunities in the past. Now Jiro was all too aware of what made boys... well, boys.

As the days had ticked by, Jiraiya seemed to get increasingly nervous. Now he called Jiro and Ai to him. "It's time we part ways. I need to get back to tracking some leads, while you two need to set up your cover."

Ai grumbled, but said nothing. Jiro merely nodded.

Jiraiya unrolled a map. "I want you two to travel first to the town of Tsuji as covertly as you can. From there you two are to act like normal people and walk to the tiny village of Hitozatohanareta. There is an abandoned home there where you can live. It's a simple trading post where local farmers gather their goods before sending it to Tsuji."

"Will they have any issues with us taking the house?" Jiro wondered.

"It's an extremely simple village. They'd be happy to have a pair of newlyweds join their little community. Especially when one of them has some knowledge of medicine," Jiraiya answered.

"Not that much knowledge, but I can make do with simple injuries." Jiro sighed. "I guess we should also go over the cover story as well. I'm from an affluent family that was trying to arrange a marriage for me, but the candidates were more living dolls than girls. Beautiful, but not much in the way of a personality. Ai was a local orphan who lived on the streets making do with what she could to survive. While not as physically beautiful, she had a personality that attracted me to her."

"That seems a bit close to your original bodies," Jiraiya observed.

Jiro nodded. "That may be true, however it'll be easier for her to follow her role."

Ai folded her arms and huffed. "Sure, talk like I'm not here."

"Sorry." Jiro blushed. "I'm still not used to all this."

"It's like fighting. You don't think about it, you just do it," Ai asserted.

* * *

Standing before the slightly run down structure, Jiro and Ai appraised the house that would soon be their home.

"Definitely will need some work," Ai groused.

"Well, it has been abandoned since the last couple who lived here died of food poisoning," Jiro reminded.

Ai let out a hollow laugh. "I hope that's not an omen for us. I'm hardly a good cook. And these people don't have ramen for me to buy."

"I'm not any better." Jiro looked around and noticed there were some people watching them. He wanted to sigh, but held it in. He opened the door. "Well, Dear, it's time for us to move in."

Ai blinked. "Huh?" She then 'eeped' as she was picked up and carried into the house. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Keeping up appearances." Jiro kicked the door shut before setting the girl down. "We are newlyweds and the locals were watching us."

"Oh." Ai huffed. "I hope they don't expect us to be making out like mad or crap like that."

Jiro shook his head. "We do have a sense of modesty to maintain, but they should see us holding hands and doing little things for each other."

"Let's just see what the rest of this dump looks like." Ai scrunched her nose. "I hope they took the bodies out."

"I think they'll understand if we open up the windows." Jiro promptly let in some fresh air and gave a sheepish wave to the smiling townsfolk. "This town is perhaps too small."

* * *

Jiro firmly believed the town was far too small for his liking. In a matter of days he had learned more about them than he knew about the Hyuuga clan.

Kuroari Daiku and his sixteen-years-old son, Mokkou, were the town carpenters. Daiku's wife died in childbirth delivering his second son, Shou, who was now eight-years-old. Kaji Tettsui worked as the blacksmith, and he was married with a four-year-old daughter and a newborn son. Ginkouka Terasen was functionally the town mayor who ran the local store and handled the business transactions for the local farmers when they sold and traded goods in Tsuji. Terasen was married to Teijo, and his only son lived in Tsuji with his new wife while his daughter died some years ago from illness. Hatago Honjin ran what passed for an inn. While it was built to lodge travelers, it functioned more to serve as a large home for Honjin's wife, Saishi, and their four children, from the oldest, an eight-year-old girl, to the youngest, a one-year-old boy.

Just as the townsfolk was ready to share any information about themselves, they expected Jiro and Ai to be just as open. A brief explanation of running away from disapproving parents had done well to quite most of their curiosity as it gave reason as to why they were being secretive. Still, any information said to one person in town was likely to be known by everyone before the end of the day.

Jiro mentally cursed as he watched Mokkou strut his way toward what was now the Yamada household.

"Hi, Jiro. How's the repairs going?" Mokkou questioned.

"There's not much to repair. More cleaning that anything else," Jiro replied evenly.

Ai walked out of the house holding a small throw rug. "Oh, hey, Mokkou. What's up?"

Mokkou smiled brightly at the girl. "Was wondering if you needed any help?"

"Sure! You can beat the dust out of this." Ai promptly threw the rug at the teenager.

Mokkou was struck in the chest by the rug and a cloud of dust erupted, causing the teenage to start coughing.

Ai turned around. "Now to see if I find a broom."

Jiro smirked and followed his false wife. "I'll help you."

Mokkou pouted in disappointment.

* * *

Ai awoke to the sight of a raven-haired young man sleeping next to her. Part of her still wanted to freak at the idea of a guy being in the same bed as her. At least they never did any thing besides sleeping.

Pulling herself free of the bed, Ai shambled her way to the dresser in the room. Opening it, she found clothes that belonged to a dead woman, but were now hers to wear. She didn't particularly like taking stuff from a person she never met, even though the face she now wore was similarly stolen.

With a sigh, Ai stripped out of her nightgown. Before she could put any clothes on her now naked form, she jumped hearing her supposed husband wake up.

"Good morning," Jiro almost moaned out, paying little heed to the state of undress of his faux wife.

"'Mornin'," Ai returned, rushing to put some clothes on. She knew Jiro was rather familiar with the female body, having been a girl originally, yet the idea of a guy seeing HER naked brought up worries that the guy might want to do THINGS. Things she certainly didn't want to do as a girl.

Jiro exited the bed and dropped the pants he had worn to bed as he prepared to get dressed for the day.

Having been a guy originally, Ai knew the sight before her likely had more to do with the need to go the bathroom than her, but it still frightened her in ways she couldn't explain. She dashed out of the room while still working on the ties of her blouse.

* * *

"Have you put any thought about what you'll be doing for money?" a middle-aged man questioned, with gray hairs noticeably accenting his black hair.

Jiro shifted uneasily. "Terasen-san, I'm not really sure. I went to school to learn many different things, but..."

"You never mastered any of them," Terasen finished. "It's good to know you at least can do some first aid. The town could certainly use your talents there, but such injuries don't happen often enough to pay for all the supplies you'll need. Especially if you make Ai a mother soon."

Jiro laughed nervously. There was certainly no chance of that happening, but he would need money to make sure both of them were fed. "Do you have any ideas, Terasen-san? I feel I'm already living too much on the town's generosity."

"I figured a 'jack-of-all-trades' could be useful in not doing any single job, but in being on call to the town for jobs where help is needed." Terasen pulled out some papers and looked them over. "For example, the Hyakushou family has been having a little trouble on their farm. Seems a wild boar has seen fit to eat from their crops."

"You want me to hunt the boar?" Jiro wondered a little nervously.

Terasen laughed. "You look strong, boy, but that boar is a monster. What I was asking is if you'd help the Hyakushou and Kuroari families to erect a fence around their crops."

"I can certainly help working on that." Jiro nodded. While hunting the boar shouldn't be too much of a problem for him, showing he knew how to fight could lead to questions he couldn't answer.

* * *

"Hi, Teijo," Ai greeted walking into the local store. "How's things?"

"My, what an interesting way of speaking," the middle-aged woman commented.

"Yeah, and your husband says the same thing," Ai retorted. "You try living on the streets of a city and see what it does for you."

"Terasen does speak his mind," Teijo mentioned fondly. "You may be rough, but you're certainly a breath of fresh air. I've never met a girl quite like you."

"That's for sure." Ai began to look at the store shelves to see what she could do for food later. "Wish I paid more attention to how ramen was made."

"You certainly seem to love it, but I've never tried it before. What's good about it?" Teijo wondered.

Ai smirked. "I could go on about many things, from noodle texture to the broth, but the real reason is that it's cheap. I can get twice as much ramen as I could any other food in the city."

Teijo nodded slowly. "I see. Price would've been an issue for you."

"Yeah. Ya gotta make do with what ya got." Ai began selecting supplies.

Teijo appraised the girl. "Have you given any thought to doing any crafts?"

Ai blinked. "Crafts?"

"While the men don't want to admit it, us women have to help them out. We make little trinkets and such to sell in Tsuji. Saishi is quite good at making paintings. If it wasn't for her, Honjin and their children would've starved to death." Teijo smiled at the girl. "So what are you good at?"

Ai didn't move for a while. "I... I beat people up. Bad people, of course, but that's what I did to survive. I couldn't have survived on the streets without learning how to fight."

Teijo looked aghast. "You beat people up?"

"Tsuji has had trouble with crime, haven't they?" Ai shot at her.

"Regrettably, yes." Teijo nodded.

"Now imagine a little girl, alone, on those streets with no one to protect her. If I couldn't beat up a guy, I'd end up with worse than a broken bone or somethin'," Ai groused. "I had to fight in order to save myself."

Teijo covered her mouth with her hand. She had heard about some rapes in Tsuji recently. "Has any guy... defeated you?"

"Only to Jiro, but I let him," Ai lied with a devilish grin, while her stomach wanted to lurch at the thought of 'losing' to any guy.

Teijo laughed. "Well, I know who to call on if we have any trouble. My husband could use such help when we send goods to Tsuji."

Ai shrugged. "Don't expect too much from me. Most idiots that want to hurt a girl are weak cowards. Show them a bit of strength, and they run away."

"That's good, I guess." Teijo nodded cautiously. "But fighting won't put food on the table. Nor will it help if you've got a little one in you."

Ai shuddered in revulsion.

Teijo frowned. "Not ready for motherhood?"

"I... It's... That's just scary." Ai's body continued to shake. "I mean..."

"I won't lie to you. Having a baby is certainly scary. I understand you've never had to rely on anyone but Jiro before, nor had anyone rely on you." Teijo sighed grandmotherly. "A baby would change that. You'll be relied on for everything, and loved beyond anything you've ever known."

Ai looked away from the woman. "Can't I get used to the idea of being married first? All of this is so new to me as it is. That is more than I can handle."

Teijo walked around the counter and grabbed the girl's hands. "I promise I won't bring this up again until you ask me about it. However, if you think you might be pregnant, please talk to me. I'll help you."

Ai looked at the woman with watering eyes. She tried to fight the tears, not certain why they were forming in the first place.

Teijo frowned, pulling the girl into a hug. "Have I hurt you?"

Ai shook her head. "I... I don't know why I'm crying."

* * *

Jiro tried to fall asleep, but was finding it a difficult prospect with the way Ai kept moving around in the bed. "What's the problem?"

Ai hadn't looked at him the entire night. "You know we're never going to have sex, right?"

Jiro flinched before he blushed and turned away from her. "I have no plans on being a father."

"I never want to have kids. I don't think I could possibly handle them. Someone relying on me completely and totally?" Ai shuddered. "I've been by myself for so long. I've never had anyone in my life who acted like a mother to me. And the idea of being with you... It all just scares me. I don't like either of us even being naked together."

Jiro gritted his teeth and he pulled himself out of the bed. "I understand. I'll be in the guest room."

Ai just curled up into a ball, wondering briefly if this was how her fake husband felt just after becoming a guy. She had avoided thinking about being a girl, focusing on other tasks, but then Teijo kept talking about babies. Guys don't get pregnant.

* * *

Jiro tiredly arrived home after working most of the day erecting a fence for the Hyakushou farm. He frowned, smelling nothing cooking. He soon found the house empty. A myriad of possibilities raced through his mind, from Ai running to Konoha to get her real body back to Akatsuki somehow discovering the girl held a tailed demon and ambushing her.

As Jiro searched the house, the notion of Ai running away became increasingly unlikely. No clothes were missing, and what little money they had remained in it's hiding place. There was no sign of struggle either, but if the Akatsuki managed to completely catch Ai unaware, they might've caught her without a fight.

Jiro checked one last thing and punched the wall in annoyance. He now knew exactly where Ai was. A couple of the scrolls Tsunade had given them were missing.

Muttering under his breath, Jiro walked to the kitchen. He immediately started on dinner, and pointedly made only enough for himself.

Ai dragged herself into the house just as Jiro finished eating what he had made.

"Have fun?" Jiro asked snidely.

"Training is training," Ai groused. "Granny included some great stuff though. It'll take me a week just to get through the first scroll." Her stomach then growled. "So, what's for dinner?"

"Make it yourself," Jiro shot at her, dropping his dirty plates in the sink before stomping off.

Ai folded her arms. "What got up his crack?"

* * *

Everyone was back in the conference room, listening to the tale that Naruto and Hinata, or rather Ai and Jiro, were telling.

Sakura massaged her forehead. "Talk about misunderstandings."

"You ain't kidding," Ai laughed.

"Did you two ever come to some understanding?" Sakura questioned.

"Don't get ahead of this," Tsunade intoned with Ai mockingly copying her.

Sakura scowled at the reprimand.

"We lived together for over a year-and-a-half," Ai reminded. "Misunderstandings happened a lot, but we certainly had time to work things out." She then giggled. "In fact it was our next misunderstanding that got us through our first one."

"Oh?" Sakura wondered.

Ai nodded. "But first... bathroom! Be right back."

Sakura's head crashed against the table.

"Now would be a good time for a break," Tsunade mentioned before walking out of the room to stretch.

* * *

Chapter 4: Abnormal Normalcy

Ai and Jiro try to set up daily routines, but life and situations don't seem to allow for that.

Thank you all for your reviews. I haven't received this many on any of my works since my Red Digivice Diaries. I probably wouldn't have posted this chapter so soon without your comments and critism.

Thanks to Jeremy Mullin for prereading this. I don't thank him enough for all the help he has given me.


	4. Abnormal Normalcy

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 4 - Abnormal Normalcy**

_By: Lord Archive_

_Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them._

* * *

Putting a fence around a farm was hardly an easy task. Especially when the property owners could not consistently help due to the other jobs that running the farm required. That left Daiku, Mokkou and Jiro doing most of the work. They had spotted the giant boar during their work, but thankfully the monstrous beast had chosen to not challenge them.

After a long day of work, Jiro wanted nothing more than a good meal that was ready to eat. Arriving home, he found the place empty as he had for the past few days. He muttered under his breath as he began to make dinner.

Ai arrived home shortly after he had finished cooking. "You make enough for me this time?"

"Yes," Jiro growled out.

Ai huffed. "What's the problem?"

"The problem is you're not playing your part," Jiro grumbled. "We're supposed to be married and you've done nothing that a wife should."

"Get your head out of the toilet," Ai hissed.

"Not that." Jiro slammed his hand onto the table. "I'm talking about cooking and cleaning. Sure WE got the place cleaned up when we first got here, but have you done anything for the place since then? Do you know how it looks that after working all day there isn't food on the table waiting for me?"

Ai glared at the man. "Need I remind you why we're here in the first place? Yes, we're hiding from the Akatsuki for now, but that's only until I'm ready to face them. I can't just be a dainty housewife. I need to train!"

"You can train WHEN you've got time. Our cover means nothing if we don't both play the parts," Jiro angrily pointed out.

"I'm not going to play the part of being a girl!" Ai spat out before stomping out of the room, the meal Jiro had made for her remained untouched.

* * *

The sun began to dip low, reaching for the horizon and signaling the end of another day of fence building for Jiro. As he worked to put away the tools with Daiku and Mokkou, Terasen walked towards them. Greetings passed between them, though there seemed to be an unspoken conversation between Daiku and the town leader.

"Mokkou, go take the tools home and check on your brother," Daiku ordered firmly.

"Why am I being left out?" Mokkou groused, suspecting what the conversation might be about. "I'm older than he is."

"Being older doesn't mean being more mature," Daiku shot back at his son. "Now go."

"Fine," Mokkou snapped. "Don't think I don't know what's going on."

After the boy had stomped a fair distance away, Terasen let himself smirk. "That boy is too bright for his own good."

"If only he'd apply it in ways that'd help himself," Daiku agreed.

Jiro stood there, wondering about the now half-spoken conversation. "What brings you here, Terasen-san?"

Terasen's smile took a distinct edge to it. "I was wondering if you'd share a drink with me?"

Jiro shrugged. "Sure."

Daiku folded his arms. "Trouble with the wife?"

Jiro blinked. "Why do you ask?"

"You didn't even think for a second about her before agreeing," Terasen pointed out.

Jiro scratched the back of his head. "Er... I guess. It's just... I don't know how to relate to her."

Terasen laughed. "Boy, you'll never fully relate to girls."

Jiro let out a forced sounding laugh, but for an entirely different reason.

Daiku patted the boy on the back. "Look, Ai's a wild girl, right? Lived on the streets most her life."

Jiro nodded. That was completely true, even ignoring their cover story.

"She's never been trained in wifely duties, has she?" Terasen pressed. "She only knows how to fight and survive, right?"

Jiro blinked. How did they know she could fight? He would have to talk to her to keep their stories the same.

"So why do you think she knows what you expect of her?" Terasen shook his head. "Didn't you fall in love with her because she was wild? That she wasn't a maid for you to have kids with, but a real girl?"

Jiro took a step back. "Er... yes..."

"Go home and talk to her," Daiku advised. "Don't screw up or my son may just take Ai from you."

"You had better _talk_ _with_ her," Terasen stressed. "Telling her something isn't going to get you anywhere. Marriage is nothing without compromise. You're two people trying to live together, with two sets of wants and needs that don't always mesh."

Jiro nodded slowly. "I guess..."

"You gave up everything for her, didn't you? And she left everything she knew to be with you, right? You both left the only homes you've ever known just to be with each other. Don't go wasting that sacrifice for petty squabbles and differences. And don't go thinking it's been easier for her because she had less to lose. She broke down and cried into my wife's arms." Terasen then pushed the boy towards home. "Now remember why you love her and go to her, boy."

"Yes, sir," Jiro replied unsteadily. Ai was crying? Why would she ever cry?

"Think he'll screw it up?" Daiku asked, while Jiro was still close enough to hear.

"If he knows what's good for him, he won't." Terasen shook his head. "I still don't believe he had the choice of prettier girls than Ai."

Daiku shrugged. "Until those two get their act together, Mokkou is going to keep looking at Ai."

* * *

Jiro arrived home and was surprised to smell food cooking. He frowned remembering the argument he had with Ai about that last night. Perhaps he had expected too much. After all, Naruto certainly had no bridal training. He had somehow thought Ai would take up the expected roles of a married woman. Had he played the role of a wife whether faking it as 'Ai' or for real as Hinata, Naruto would've come home to a clean house and a cooked meal.

He froze upon entering the kitchen and found his fake wife hunched over and clutching her waist. He quickly moved towards her. "Ai, are you okay?"

Ai gazed up weakly at him. "Sorry if I've been bad at this."

Somehow the girl apologizing made him worry all the more. "What's wrong?"

"I think I'm dying," Ai confessed weakly. "I can barely stand up with these cramps. I'm bleeding. And I can hear the Kyuubi howling in pain."

Jiro blinked. "Where are you bleeding from?"

"Down there," Ai answered unsteadily.

"From your arse or the other hole?" Jiro pressed.

"The other one," Ai asserted weakly.

Jiro let out a loud laugh. "You're not dying."

"How do you know?" Ai snapped.

"You're just having a period," Jiro informed smugly. "This explains why you've been so moody."

"What are you talking about? Aren't periods the different classes we have at school?" Ai growled, not liking her faux husband's demeanor in the least.

"Ai, a period is when a girl's body flushes away it's last attempt to become pregnant. Every girl goes through this once a month. You're just going to have to deal with it." Jiro's amusement at the situation came to an abrupt end from Ai punching him across the room and through the wall.

Ai panted as she stood up. "Don't joke about this shit. I ain't going to get pregnant. And there's no way girls could possibly go through this much pain every fucking month."

There was no reply while Ai stomped her way towards the young man. She froze seeing that he was unconscious and his face slightly disfigured. She slowly shook her head and scooped Jiro up and carried him to their room.

* * *

Ai applied what little first aid she knew to Jiro. She knew enough that her punch had fractured his cheekbone. She hadn't intended on doing that. He had pissed her off, and she had retaliated yet the force was more than she had expected. She could guess how it happened. That the Kyuubi added his own power to her own. How it could slip those bonds so easily eluded and disturbed her.

Now all Ai could do was sit besides her fake husband. The prepared dinner was untouched and had grown cold. Despite missing two meals in the past two days, Ai didn't feel hungry. She frankly didn't know how she should feel.

A moan brought her attention back to Jiro. "Are you okay?"

Jiro winced as he touched the side of his face. "You hit me?"

Ai bowed her head. "Sorry. I got upset over your stupid joke."

Jiro sighed. "I wasn't joking. Periods are something every girl goes through. I had them often enough to know."

Ai scowled. "Then how long do these fucking cramps last?"

"Two to three days. You're probably feeling them more as you're not used to them," Jiro surmised. "They never caused me much pain, and any discomfort they caused had Dad telling me to just deal with it."

"There's no way I can deal with this!" Ai hissed. "It hurts too much to walk. I can't train. Especially if it weakens the seal on Kyuubi. I didn't mean to crack your face like that. He made that happen."

Jiro frowned, realized his face really was 'cracked.' No wonder his cheek hurt so much. "Ai... we have to talk."

Ai turned away. "We certainly do. Anything else I should know about being a girl you've neglected to tell me?"

"Well, I'm going to have to show you how to deal with the bleeding so you don't destroy your underpants," Jiro informed with barely a trace of the amusement he held before.

Ai grumbled under her breath. "Why does this happen every month?

Jiro shrugged weakly. "It's the way of nature. Just look at it this way, because you're bleeding- you're not going to be a mother soon."

Ai scowled darkly. "Does that mean I might end up pregnant without a guy touching me?"

Jiro wanted to laugh at the girl's naivete, but that would hurt too much. "No. Getting pregnant requires a guy to do things with you." He then gazed at the girl. "You do know what needs to be done to do that right?"

Ai looked down at her crotch. "I got a good idea." He then glared at the young man. "And I ain't letting you or anyone else do that."

"I told you before I have no plans on being a _father_," Jiro asserted. "Being a _mother_ after this is all done is another matter."

Ai laughed a little. "I'd take being a dad over a mom any day."

* * *

Sakura barely contained her laughter while Jiraiya was having a good laugh at the story of Ai's first period. Both earned a harsh glare from Ai for their amusement.

"Just because we sat down and talked didn't end the misunderstandings," Jiro mentioned.

"No amount of talking can do that," Tsunade groused, more than a little annoyed at Jiraiya for both laughing at this and intentionally ditching Ai so he wouldn't be around during her first period.

"No kidding." Ai huffed. "Mokkou certainly added his share to it. For the longest time I didn't realize he was flirting with me."

"Forgetting you were a girl and not 'one of the guys?'" Sakura guessed with a giggle.

Ai shrugged. "I guess. I wasn't used to GUYS looking at me like that." She then pouted. "Or girls for that matter. I was kind of blind to that sort of stuff."

"Tell me about it," Jiro muttered.

"Can we get back to the debriefing?" Tsunade ordered.

"Fine." Ai shook her head. "That first period was a bitch to deal with. Even after Jiro's help, I ended up asking Teijo and the other women of the town about ways to cope with the damn thing. They were of more help than Jiro was. Apparently Hinata never had periods nearly as bad as I do."

"What did you do about the Kyuubi slipping through the bonds?" Sakura wondered.

"I wasn't going to risk summoning anything during the period, but as soon as I was better I did. Gamakichi passed my message to Jiraiya, and the reply back was really annoying." Ai glared evilly at the legendary ninja.

"What? I don't know much about periods and stuff like that. Having you summon frogs to observe you while you train was a good safety measure," Jiraiya defended as if it was the greatest plan of all time.

"So you left her to worry about the Kyuubi breaking free with marginal observation while you scouted bathhouses?" Tsunade growled.

"I was tracking down information on the Akatsuki and Orochimaru for you, your highness. Don't go getting on your high horse about this," Jiraiya snapped.

"Your top priority was making sure Naruto was safe, or had you forgotten him in your so-called research?" Tsunade shot back.

"And what do you expect me to do when she was NOT having a period? The frogs were to tell me when it happened the next time so I would be able to observe her," Jiraiya pointed out.

"And why didn't I see you when that happened?" Ai hissed.

Jiraiya folded his arms. "I like my face in one piece."

Ai flinched at the accusation.

"And when did Ai's second period happen?" Tsunade pointedly asked her ex-teammate.

Jiraiya scratched the back of his head. "That was a long time ago. You can't expect me to remember the date."

"How many times did you have sex last year?" Tsunade barked out.

"Ninety-seven." Jiraiya blinked. "What does that have to do with this?"

Tsunade slammed her hands onto the table. "It shows your lack of following orders for one. What would've happened if the Kyuubi became unsealed while you were off being a pervert?"

"I would've taken care of it. I know where my priorities lie," Jiraiya argued.

"It sure doesn't look like it from where I'm standing," Tsunade spat.

"They sound like they're married," Jiro commented dryly.

"It certainly reminds me of a few fights," Ai agreed.

Jiraiya and Tsunade instantly turned red-faced and sputtered denials, causing the younger people in the room to start laughing.

Tsunade folded her arms. "Ai, Jiro, continue with your report."

Ai shrugged. "Sure. Where were we? Oh, right. I cracked Jiro's face. Thankfully, his healing salves helped heal his face. We still got a few looks from the town about what I did. We came up with a story about me being trained by a retired ninja, so my ability to fight would be explained. However, the fact I could land such a blow on Jiro showed his training was lacking."

* * *

Gamakichi yawned, covering his wide mouth with his webbed forelimb. "All right, let's see you what can do."

Jiro frowned at the talking frog. "What is it you expect me to do?"

Ai cracked her knuckles. "A simple sparring match with me."

Jiro's expression didn't change. "To what level?"

"Anything except genjutsu," Gamakichi stated firmly.

"Why restrict me from my strength?" Jiro wondered.

"Because it'd be pure idiocy to try to use genjutsu against an Uchiha," Gamakichi groused. "It simply will not work against Itachi."

"Besides, you hit with me with genjutsu and don't do anything to make me realize it's an illusion, the match is over. There would be no challenge for you," Ai added.

Jiro was a tad surprised that Ai would admit such a weakness. His expression hardened. "This time no genjutsu. Another time we'll work to improve your ability to resist it."

Gamakichi nodded. "A good plan. Now, go beat each other senseless."

Ai didn't waste any time launching into a low sweeping kick, which Jiro dodged by jumping straight up. That proved to be a mistake for the boy as the girl brought her leg in quickly and launched herself up into an uppercut. It took all Jiro had just to pull his chin back to avoid the blow, but that caused him to land on his back. Ai came back down leg extended in a kick, which her faux husband had to roll to avoid being hit.

Gamakichi yawned again, watching Jiro run away from Ai. This wasn't a case of the boy holding back, not wanting to hurt the girl. Ai was on such an offensive that Jiro could do nothing but dodge or block.

"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Ai cried out, creating four copies of herself.

Gamakichi flinched as Ai proceeded to use the now ill-named 'Uzumaki Naruto Rendan' on the boy, launching Jiro into the air with numerous kicks from the clones and then slamming him back down to the ground with a devastating kick from above.

Ai folded her arms in annoyance. "I thought you were a Chuunin."

"With my best jutsu either unusable or prohibited," Jiro pointed out with a groan.

"If you're supposed to protect me, you gotta get better," Ai groused. "You be nothing more than a rock in a road to the Akatsuki. If even that."

"What can I do?" Jiro muttered. "I don't have time to train all day and do work to make us money."

Ai scrunched her eyebrows in thought, but then grinned. "You'll just need to be in two places at once."

"You're going to take my place?" Jiro wondered.

Ai leaned against one of her clones. "Nope. I'm going to teach you to do this."

* * *

"We had some concern about our shadow bodies saying something stupid and us not knowing it, but Jiro quickly realized that when the clone was dispelled, he immediately knew everything the other bodies did." Ai shrugged. "I never noticed it before then as I had only used it in battle. Finding out that certainly helped speed up our training."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You didn't notice that before?"

"I just said I only used it in battle before. Never took the time to think about it," Ai retorted firmly. "With Jiro and I literally being in two places at the same time, we were able to train and keep appearances of being married."

Considering this was a debriefing from an eighteen-month long mission, they've been moving at a fairly fast pace. Still, Tsunade didn't want to get bogged down with details. "Let's not worry about little things. What's the next major event that happened?"

"Ah, that would be almost a month after settling at Hitozatohanareta. There was a little... situation when we helped take some of the local farm's crops to the market," Jiro recounted.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Coming Next:  
Chapter 5 - Falling Rain A routine trip to Tsuji didn't prove to be so routine.


	5. Falling Rain

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 5 - Falling Rain**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

Sakura appraised Jiro and Ai as they started to explain about setting up for a trip with the local farmers to Tsuji in order to trade their goods.

It wasn't hard to see Naruto beneath the girl's face. She was as lively and loud as she remembered the boy being, though Ai's moods seemed more erratic and of a wider range. Still, Naruto was Naruto, even if her old teammate was now a girl answering to 'Ai.'

Jiro, on the other hand, seemed very different than Hinata. Sakura didn't know Hinata very much beyond being the 'shy, timid Hyuuga girl' with a suspected crush on Naruto. Now Sakura knew quite well that Hinata did indeed have a crush on her old teammate, enough of one to go on such an extreme mission. However, starting an argument with her love seemed entirely unlike Hinata, yet it was something Jiro had done. Sakura had a good guess on such a change, ignoring the fact she barely knew him when he was a girl, between having his image changed completely, embracing the mission fully, following the example of his father's behavior, and a huge increase of testosterone- Jiro could be different than Hinata. Though Sakura suspected that the argument stemmed from the ending of Hinata's crush, frustrations of starting a new life, and being hungry. Sakura certainly got cranky when she didn't have enough food.

Sakura's thoughts and the story came to an abrupt end with a knock on the door. Peering into the room was Kakashi, the white-haired jounin with one eye covered by his facemask who had taught Sakura and Naruto.

Ai leapt up from her seat and pointed. "You're late!"

Kakashi's visible eye gave a false smile. "Sorry. Ran into a few rocks that wouldn't stay put."

"Likely story," Ai groused. "You're ALWAYS late."

Kakashi looked at the girl intently. "Do I know you?"

Sakura's eyes widened, noticing that Kakashi's shirtsleeve had been recently sewed with a bloodstain around the recent repair. She leapt and slapped the back of Ai's head. "Stupid, can't you see he's been hurt recently!"

"What? This scratch?" Kakashi pointed at his arm. "The Stone-nin got a lucky hit, but then he wasn't very lucky at all."

There wasn't much that could be said in response, as everyone knew Kakashi functionally just admitted to killing the Stone-nin.

"Tsunade-sama, I am reporting as requested," Kakashi formally announced.

"Have a seat. I suspect you will find this debriefing quite interesting," Tsunade commented with a slight smirk.

Jiro chuckled lightly, but said nothing.

Kakashi took another look at the girl grinning at him.

"Haven't figured it out yet, have you, Kakashi-sensei? Guess you lied to Zabuza and you can't see everything with your Sharigan," Ai teased.

Kakashi's features hardened as he turned to look at his village's leader. "Tsunade-sama, you didn't...?"

"It was the best way to hide Naruto. Itachi would never think to look for a girl," Tsunade retorted.

Kakashi looked at the boy sitting next to Ai. "And you are?"

"I was Hyuuga Hinata," the boy answered. "Though you can call me Jiro now."

Kakashi stared vacantly. "Congratulations. You've just broken my mind." He then slumped into a chair.

"You haven't heard anything yet!" Ai laughed. "As I was saying before we were 'rudely interrupted,' the village had set up a small caravan to go to Tsuji to trade their goods. Halfway there we ran into a bit of problem..."

* * *

Jiro was initially happy to have some of the local farmers on the caravan as they didn't know anything about him or Ai. That quickly changed with the amount of talking that was being done. By the time they would arrive to Tsuji, the farmers would have a full account of the 'newlywed' couple, painful arguments and all.

"My, isn't that strange. Where did that storm come from?" Terasen commented from his perch at the front of the caravan.

Jiro and Ai exchanged worried looks as the gathering dark clouds spread overhead against the wind.

As if to confirm their unease, two ugly, burley men with large weapons stood in the road.

"We've come to save you a trip. We'll make a great trade for your goods. You leave everything here, and you can go home alive," the larger of the two bandits threatened.

"Please refuse. I wouldn't mind carving me up that piece of ass," the second bandit added, pointing at Ai.

Before anyone could blink, the second bandit had been launched into the air from a devastating series of kicks.

The first bandit took a step back. "What the fuck?"

"And here I was hoping for a challenge," Ai spat. She took a little longer bringing down the first bandit, but that was only because he managed to block a few of her attacks.

"Damn..." Terasen whispered to Jiro in awe. "No wonder she could crack your face like that. She's one strong girl."

Jiro nodded, sort of wishing that Mokkou was with them to see Ai in all her brutal glory. That would put a damper on the boy's crush.

Rain began to fall from the storm clouds. Jiro at first wondered if the whisper of 'sleep' he was hearing was just his imagination, but the fact that Terasen suddenly fell asleep right where he was sitting told him otherwise. The whisper repeated itself, become more forceful and urgent each time it was repeated. "Dispel!" Jiro commanded, breaking the genjutsu trying to take hold of him.

Ai grinned sheepishly with her wet hair matted to her face. "First time I'm glad to have gone through this mission."

Jiro didn't need her to explain what she meant. Naruto had no ability with genjutsu and would've fallen prey to this attack, where Ai had enough ability to break simple illusionary effects.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Ai cried out, slamming her hand to the ground.

"Oh, nice rain," commented the white and yellow meter tall toad.

"Gamafenton, stop counting the rain drops and tell me how many people are around here!" Ai ordered.

"Eighteen," Gamafenton replied. "Incoming arrow... No, make that twelve incoming arrows." The toad then disappeared into smoke.

Ai jumped away and the area she had been standing was now riddled with wooden arrows.

Jiro scowled. "There's eighteen ninja out there?"

"Not counting the stupid thieves, five," Ai corrected. "Gamafenton may be able to count anything, but he counts everything. He can't tell the differences of anything."

"So those arrows were somehow replicated in air?" Jiro guessed.

Ai shrugged. "Probably."

A crash of thunder and lightning drew their attention.

Cackling with electricity a mere dozen meters away stood a man in combat fatigues, two whips wrapped around his upper body, and a forehead protector marking him as coming from the Hidden Village of Rain.

"What are you doing outside of Rain Country?" Ai demanded.

"I think the greater question is why are there two ninja hiding in the middle of nowhere?" the man retorted. "Or how about I ask you something else, girl? How many times did you sleep with the Legendary Pervert to get him to teach you how to summon toads?"

Jiro held up his hands defenselessly. "He's all yours."

Ai snarled viciously, whisker-like tattoos forming on her face. "You're a dead man." She raced forward with a flurry of punches and kicks.

The man laughed off her attacks, dodging and blocking them with little effort. "And here I thought getting stuck on this stupid mission was going to boring. A simple raid for supplies should've been easy pickings for Ren's team. This may have been a good 'punishment' after all." He then leered at the girl attacking him. "May want to find out what that stupid Jiraiya saw in you while I'm at it."

Ai let out a bestial hiss before launching a clawed strike. Her attack was blocked, yet the man leapt away from her.

"So, the little kitten has claws," the man remarked, looking over his now bleeding forearm suspiciously. "So, you aren't to be taken so lightly." He then pulled out one of the whips. "Let's see if I can tame you."

Jiro didn't like the looks of this. The guy was obviously a jounin. There were few chuunin who could stand up to Ai, and this guy hadn't even gotten serious yet. He forced himself to turn away as two teenaged ninja approached him. The closer of the two was a guy, with a minimized styled of dress that reminded him of Rock Lee. The other one was a girl wielding an umbrella, yet she wasn't using it to keep the rain off her.

As Jiro expected, the boy started off with a kick and went into a series of physical attacks. He was good, but not to the level of a chuunin. Jiro moved to block one attack, but his arm found air while the boy's foot landed into his gut. Jiro staggered back, and briefly saw double. "Cute, using the rain to make a false image."

"Figuring out my genjutsu doesn't mean you've beaten it," the boy retorted.

The girl then spoke up, "All I want to know is if you're from Konoha?"

"Would it make any difference?" Jiro retorted.

"My brother was murdered when he went to Konoha for his chuunin exams. I will see they pay for it," the girl spat.

"Deaths happen in a chuunin exam," Jiro replied with false bravado hoping to intimidate his attackers. "It's part of the 'game.'"

The girl's gaze hardened, while the boy shifted uneasily.

"Let's see you dodge this," the girl hissed. She launched her umbrella into the air and numerous thin metal needles fired from it.

Jiro attempted to leap out of the way, but the boy kicked him back into the deadly rain of metal. He managed to avoid most of the attack, but a few of the needles managed to lodge themselves into his arm. This wasn't good at all. There were five ninja facing them, yet only three had revealed themselves directly. The initial sleep genjutsu and the arrows likely came from the other two, yet he couldn't be certain of that. Though Ai screamed in pain while the man fighting her laughed, he couldn't look away to see what condition she was in. If he was going to help her, he had to take these two down first to make sure they couldn't attack his faux wife.

Ai was not in the same position. With a few Kage Bunshin clones trying to bum-rush the jounin, she took a second to see how Jiro was doing. Her blood boiled in rage seeing the metal needles sticking out of her fake husband's arm, making her remember how Sasuke nearly died in a similar manner. Her vision was clouded red when she gazed at her opponent in hatred.

The jounin's whip cut through the clones attacking him, leaving Ai and a clone she had set in reserve to act as if she was the main body. He then gazed intently at the real Ai. "The more I play with you, the more interesting you get. How did your eyes change color?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you're all dead. Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Ai barked out in anger. Within a blink of an eye, copies of Ai stood everywhere.

The two ninja facing Jiro were immediately swarmed by six clones each, giving Jiro a moment to yank the needles out of his arm. He gazed at the fight and saw the glaring weakness of using so many clones at one time. There was so little chakra supporting the copies that simple hits could dispel them. While the two ninja did take some damage for the assault, they were managing to fight off Ai's shadows even as more clones moved to replace the fallen ones.

"What the fuck is the point of all these illusionary copies?" cried out a previously hidden boy now trapped within the sea of Ai clones that prevented him from remaining hidden.

"I thought you were a chuunin, Ren," the jounin shouted over the chaos of battle. "This is no genjutsu, but one of Konoha's greatest ninjutsu. These clones are very solid, but they can't take a serious hit."

"Shit!" Ren cursed, having been punched in the face. "NOW you tell me!" He then began to whisper into the rain and the five clones nearest him stopped moving as vacant looks fell over the girls' faces. "Yokujin, clear the field!"

"Yokujin?" Jiro questioned. "So he's the archer."

"Who?" one of Ai's clones asked.

"Ai, watch out! He's going to fire a lightning arrow!" Jiro cried out in warning, but it was too late as two metal arrows shot into the largest group of clones, with electricity arcing between the two metal rods. With a chorus of painful cries, dozens of Ai's clones were destroyed.

"Let me guess, he's the one from the chuunin exams," Ai spat angrily.

Jiro nodded. "Would explain why he's so far from the genjutsu user. He's got no resistance."

"What the hell is going on here?" Ren demanded.

The jounin laughed insanely while quickly reducing the number of clones with his electrified whips. "Looks like we either found two missing-nin or stumbled upon a Konoha secret. Either way, this mission has gone from C-rank to A-rank."

"All right! More pay!" the mostly taijutsu ninja exclaimed in joy, and got socked in the back of the head by one of the remaining clones.

"You do realize this battle is to the death," the umbrella-wielding girl pointed out. "They can't let us live to tell of whatever secret they're hiding. Gosunkugi no Ami!" The rain around girl briefly stopped falling before exploding away from her as if they were metal projectiles shooting through the clones surrounding her. Against a living enemy the damage would've been too minor to note, but to the clones it was enough to dispel them.

"HA!" the boy laughed. "And you want to kill all of Konoha's ninja!" He then sent a fist into one of the clones, only to find that the body didn't disappear. His arm was grabbed into a painful hold, while a knee into his gut rocked him hard.

"Kage, you moron!" the girl spat, launching a set of kunai at the image of Ai holding her teammate. The boy was released in order to dodge the attack, yet one of the kunai scratched the arm disrupting the illusion and revealing that Jiro had been the one attacking the Rain-nin.

"Sneaky bastard," Kage spat. "Trying to beat me at my own game."

"If you were paying attention, you would've seen the blood coming from his arm," the girl shot at him.

"Quit nagging, Uki. I'll take this guy down, no problem," Kage promised.

Jiro scowled as Kage's formed became blurred with two sets of overlapping images. Each time the Rain-nin attacked, he would seem to be hitting three different spots, making attempts to block him a hazardous affair. His only saving grace fighting these two was that while it was obvious the two had worked together before, they had yet to fully gel together and fight as one. Only one of them attacked at a time to avoid getting in the other's way.

While Jiro tried to figure out what he needed to do, Ai knew what she had to do to win her fight. She had to land a Rasengan on the jounin, but with the guy's whips she couldn't get close enough to hit him. Of the one hundred clones she had made, only two remained. She seethed in anger at her inability to do a damn thing to this guy. She had to take him down hard and fast.

"Ah, there you are," the jounin remarked before wrapping one of his whips around Ai's waist and electrifying her in the process.

Jiro's heart sank hearing Ai cry out in pain that didn't immediately disappear. The real Ai had been hit, and there was nothing he could to help her with these two ninja facing against him. He would defeat them. He had to do it. His mission was to protect Ai. He gave up everything for her, and he would be damned if it all ended here on a road that didn't even have a name.

The cocky grin on Kage's face irritated Jiro to no end. As his glare harshened on the advancing boy, the blurred images faded and the real body solidified. Jiro blocked the incoming punch, and the following kick. Kage's face lost the cockiness and took a hard look of concentration and determination. Jiro knew the boy was trying to reinforce the genjutsu, but he would not let himself see it. As Kage launched into a devastating punch, Jiro ducked under the swing and struck his own blow. He shoved a kunai up under Kage's chin, pressing the weapon deep into his foe's head.

Kage's eyes rolled back as he fell to the ground, blood gurgling out of his wound as his body twitched from the damage to his brain.

"KAGE!" Uki screamed. "Damn you, Konoha. Damn you all to hell!"

Jiro saw the rage in the girl had clouded her thinking. This was no longer a ninja fighting her, but a hysterical girl. Avoiding her attacks was far too easy. The tears clouding the girl's eyes was the only thing that made Jiro pause. "You won't have to mourn any more."

"Not until I've killed you!" Uki spat. Her following attack didn't come close to hitting, but Jiro's counter attack found its mark.

Jiro watched as Uki stumbled towards Kage's fallen form and fell upon him in her own death, pierced through the heart by a kunai. The blood stained ninja whispered to the two dead bodies, "I'm sorry."

The jounin gritted his teeth angrily even as he still held Ai in his whip, trying to fry her alive with electricity. "You're next boy."

"I think not," Jiro retorted, his eyes glaring harshly at the jounin.

"What the fuck is with Konoha and weird eyes?" the jounin hissed.

"Chouzen-sensei, look out!" Ren cried out.

The jounin didn't move as the two clones that he had ignored were now behind him. "Thousand years of pain revised!" One of the two clones disappeared as the one holding a spinning ball of chakra reared her hand back. "RASENGAN!" True to the shadow's words, the ball was shoved at the jounin's ass. With a cry of unimaginable pain, Chouzen went flying into the side of one of the caravan's wagons.

"You bitch," Chouzen cursed. He attempted to stand up but failed miserably as his legs would not respond. "I'm going to make you suffer as no woman has ever suffered before."

Ai's body smoked from the burns on her body. She stomped towards the fallen jounin, with each step the red angry scars of burnt flesh diminished in size. "I don't think I'll lose any sleep over you."

An arrow pierced Ai's shoulder, but she merely yanked it out without any apparent care to the injury.

"What the hell are you?" Chouzen demanded.

"You don't need to know." Ai grabbed the jounin by his forehead and smashed the back of his head against a rock repeatedly until the skull had caved in.

Jiro was not concerned with the end of Ai's fight. He knew it was over without having to watch. Besides, they had two more ninja to deal with. He hated the rain as his jutsu relied on sight while Ren's worked with sounds, especially from rain. He could hear the chuunin trying to make him see things that weren't there, but he would not let himself be affected.

Ren pulled out a pair of kunai as Jiro loomed ever closer. "This isn't right. You didn't even try to dispel my genjutsu. You just ignored it. What is going on?"

"I'd tell you, but there are some who could pull that information from your corpse," Jiro retorted.

"I didn't make chuunin just for my genjutsu. I've seen you fight, and I know where your weak points are," Ren boasted, but it sounded hollow.

"I'd hope it wasn't for you pathetic skill in illusions." Jiro's eyes locked with Ren's.

Screams retched their way out of Ren's mouth as horrors assaulted his mind. He didn't have long to live in illusionary pain as Jiro took one of the boy's kunai and shoved the weapon into the Rain-nin's eye.

* * *

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Kakashi questioned toward Jiro.

Tsunade held a smug look. "I used an Uchiha as the template for one of the permanent transformation scrolls."

Jiro nodded slightly. "I first activated the Sharigan ability in that battle. It was at its lowest level, allowing me to see clearly what my opponents were doing and amplifying my genjutsu abilities. At that point I could only copy taijutsu, but not an enemy's ninjutsu nor genjutsu."

Kakashi shook his head. "So you lost Byakugan and replaced it with the Uchiha bloodline limit."

Sakura pouted. "Well, it's nice that there's another Uchiha around. And I guess it's a good thing Jiro is functionally gay, otherwise the Konoha council would want to keep Hinata as Jiro." Her joke didn't elicit any response, making her wonder if she stepped into something. Perhaps the council was already trying to marry Jiro off to some girl or something to that effect in order to bring back the lost clan?

"Now can we get back to the debriefing?" Tsunade demanded.

* * *

With the lack of arrows raining down on them, it was clear the archer was running away. Despite the lead Yokujin had running though the forest, Ai proved to be much faster than him.

"What kind of comrade are you to your team?" Ai spat angrily. "You don't try to rescue them or avenge them, but run away like a stinking coward! You're not worthy to be a ninja!"

"Like I could fucking see in that rain," Yokujin shot back, managing to fire off an arrow towards his pursuer despite still running ahead. "Their abilities were boosted, I had to wait for clear shots."

"Still no excuse for abandoning them," Ai hissed while jumping out of the way of the arrow.

"I'm still alive, and soon you won't be," Yokujin smugly laughed, jumping from the edge of the forest into a clearing. He spared a look back towards the trees. "Come on, bitch, follow me now."

"He didn't signal. Fire!"

Yokujin's eyes widened as he spun around. "Wait! I'm Yokujin!" He started to do some hand signals while attempting to jump out of the way of incoming arrows and metal needles, but the swarm of projectiles was too much.

Ai gritted her teeth angrily. While she didn't particularly want to kill the ninja even though she knew she had to make sure he could tell no one about her, it left a bad taste in her mouth that he was done in by so-called 'friendly fire.'

"Ai?" Jiro whispered, approaching the girl.

"There's a Rain-nin camp ahead. We can't let them remain here," Ai pointed out.

Jiro frowned. "It took all we had to take down four of them. I don't know if we can handle another battle."

Ai smirked. "I think I've got a plan."

* * *

"What the hell is Chouzen doing? He was supposed to be leading a team on a simple supply grab, and then he let's one of the genin do something stupid like this. If he thought this mission was punishment..." one Rain-nin grumbled.

"I'd say they ran into difficulties," another responded.

"THAT would be putting it mildly."

The Rain-nin looked up and saw a man with long white hair sitting on top of an enormous toad. One of them asked, "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm am appalled that you don't know of me. I am Myouboku Mountain's Monk of the Toad Spirits! The great Toad Hermit! All women adore me! I am the greatest writer and ninja!" boasted 'Jiraiya.'

"Holy shit! It's the Legendary Pervert!" one of the Rain-nin screamed in fright.

"Don't call me that!" 'Jiraiya' howled in anger.

"There's no need to get your hair in a bunch," groused 'Kakashi' lazily.

"No wonder Chouzen got crushed. Konoha's greatest pervert AND the copycat, they didn't stand a chance," a Rain-nin muttered.

'Jiraiya' smirked. "Indeed. Now why don't you children go pick up your mess and go home." He hopped off the toad. "My friend will show you where the bodies are, while we make sure this camp is taken down."

'Kakashi' reached for his facemask. "Or would you rather we got... serious?"

The Rain-nin started talking to each other about what to do.

'Jiraiya' looked over at 'Kakashi' and muttered in annoyance, "How long was it before Gai's team gets here? This delay is already costing us time to get to the Sand Village. If we run much later, they might send a search party."

That caused Rain-nin to become even more nervous and they promptly agreed to the functional terms of surrender.

* * *

Tsunade shook her head. "You've definitely spent too much time around Jiraiya."

"How dare they call me the 'Legendary Pervert?' That's outrageous!" Jiraiya protested.

"From the 'Legendary Sucker' to the 'Legendary Pervert:' Shut up," Tsunade shot at him.

"If you want to replace me full time, go ahead," Kakashi joked.

"I've had enough of being someone else," Jiro replied.

"When was the next event of note?" Tsunade questioned.

Ai scowled at Jiraiya. "Two weeks after this battle, and about a week AFTER my second period, the pervert finally made an appearance."

* * *

Author's Notes:

Coming Next: Chapter 6 - The Pervert's Return Jiraiya arrives to see how Ai's training is progressing and to help with controlling the Kyuubi within.

As with some of my series, I include an omake, a little extra, that falls outside of the main story. I felt this chapter could use something that Jiro and Ai left out of their story to Tsunade and the others.

The moon shown high over Tsuji with a faint glow off in the distant horizon, promising sunrise would be coming. There was no sound as two small feet glided over the grass outside the trading town, but the approach was still detected by a teenaged boy sitting on a fallen log.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Jiro questioned tiredly.

Ai nodded as she sat on the ground next to the log. "I always have trouble sleeping after fights like that."

Jiro smiled shyly. "Same here."

Ai gazed up at her fake husband. "You killed before?"

"A few times, actually." Jiro sighed. "The first time was when we were on a mission and got ambushed. Kiba-kun was facing three ninja at once and didn't see the fourth one sneaking up behind him. I only had a second to react, or Kiba-kun would have died." He swallowed hard. "I made his heart explode."

Ai flinched. That couldn't have been easy for Hinata to have done. She had nearly died in a similar fashion at the hands of her own cousin.

"My second kill was much the same, but it was to save a little girl's life." Jiro examined his hands as if expecting them to be dripping with blood. "My third was in a fight where if I didn't kill her, she would've killed me."

"Ah." Ai bowed her head. "Wish I could say my kills were as good. My first one came while Jiraiya left me alone to do some 'research.' I found out there were some bandits terrorizing the village I was in. So naturally, I volunteered to help them. The bandits were little more than thugs with swords and crossbows. They were armed beyond what the village could deal with, but they had no real talent. Still, the bandits were robbing the village of everything they had and killing anyone that defied them." She clenched her hand into a fist. "I defeated the jerks easily enough. And then their leader appeared, boasting about his awesome 'power.' The ass had none. I broke his neck with a punch any genin could've avoided."

"You did save the village, right?" Jiro tried to encourage the girl.

"They certainly called me a hero and praised what I did." Ai folded her arms and seemed to be trying to hug herself. "They made a feast in my honor and all that crap. I wanted to be left alone, so I ditched them." She then let out a long breath. "It was then I was told something that truly helped me. One of the girls from the village found me and thanked me for killing that bastard because the asshole had been raping her. She was fucking eight-years-old." She lashed out with a fist and punched the ground. "I only wished I knew that before I killed the asshole, because I damn well would've done it on purpose then!"

Jiro nodded. "I certainly hold no sympathy for anyone who did something like that. He deserved to die."

"I know. But the reasoning got all fucked up." Ai shook her head. "And it unfortunately lead to my second kill. I went from overestimating one asshole, to underestimating the next guy I fought. I was pulling my punches, not wanting to kill him. But that jerk wanted me dead. I panicked and acted like a stupid student. He skewered me with a sword and I cut open his throat with a kunai. If I had fought him normally, I could've beaten him easily and he'd still be alive, in prison, but still alive." The girl shivered. "And because of that fucktard jounin today, I had those nightmares again."

Jiro slid off the log and kneeled next to the girl, pulling her into a hug. "I know our bad dreams are not easy to deal with, but I'd rather have them than not care that we have taken the lives of others when we needed too. I would rather have blood on my hands than you, Kiba-kun or anyone else I care for in a coffin."

Part of Ai wanted to protest the hug, but the fact was she needed it at the moment. "I guess I should be thankful it's not getting easier for me. I wouldn't want to become the monster Konoha fears I might become."

Jiro nodded and held Ai close to himself through the rest of the night, only to be found a few hours later sleeping against each other by Terasen.


	6. The Pervert's Return

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 6 - The Pervert's Return**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

The secluded grove was beset by furious combat. Weapons, blood and bodies flew in every direction. And the lone observer of this spectacle yawned, covering his mouth with his webbed forelimb.

Ai panted hard, glaring at her opponent. Jiro had become the best sparring partner possible with the activation of Sharigan. Not only were her fake husband's abilities growing by leaps and bounds, but it would also help her fight against Itachi and Sasuke. Together they had puzzled through most of the scrolls Tsunade had given them. Though when testing them out, Ai was usually the one to do it first. While Jiro seemed different from Hinata to the girl's eyes, he still tended to be hesitant before trying anything new.

"You're still having trouble controlling your chakra," Jiro observed.

Ai blinked. "I've got good control!"

Jiro shook his head. "Make five shadow clones. Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" Five images of the young man appeared.

Ai followed suit and lined up her clones in front of Jiro's. At once, all five of Jiro's copies launched into the same exact attack. With the first punch, one of Ai's clones exploded into smoke. The follow-up kick removed two more. The remaining two copies of Ai attempted to fight back, and did so by completely different means. One went for the face, while the other tried to trip her attacker. Neither had much luck and the counter attack removed them.

Folding her arms, Ai demanded, "And what was the point of that?"

"Make five more shadows and have them attack my copies with the exact same attack," Jiro merely requested.

Ai scowled and did as he requested. There was some noticeable differences in the way Ai's clones punched and then kicked, but they were similar enough. On the third hit, all of Jiro's copies exploded into smoke.

"If you had better chakra control, your clones would be able to take a consistent amount of abuse before dispersing. Not to mention you'd have better control of what they do," Jiro pointed out.

Ai huffed. "I don't see how that's much of a problem."

"Better control would lead to stronger copies, capable of lasting longer in fights and being able to work out better plans and teamwork. When you do massive number of clones, you spread your chakra so thin that a single weak hit can disrupt them. Improving you chakra distribution can allow them to withstand some attacks," Jiro explained.

"The boy has a point," Gamakichi pointed out. "Though watching you fight is less boring than when you train."

Ai pouted, trying to think of a retort when a giant frog jumped into the grove. She glared at the man standing atop it. "Where the fuck have you been?"

"I have a different idea for the girl to use her chakra!" Jiraiya announced, pointedly ignoring Ai's question. That proved to be a mistake as she decked him.

"Where the hell were you when the Kyuubi bled through? Why didn't you at least show up last week to see what having a period does to the damned seal?" Ai demanded angrily.

"I was busy searching for information on the Akatsuki," Jiraiya retorted as he stood up.

"Likely story!" Ai spat. "You were probably being a pervert."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "Do you want my help in controlling the Kyuubi and possibly improve Rasengan, or do you want me to leave?"

"I've been waiting for your so-called 'help' for weeks," Ai growled. "You better do something to help me or I'll show you how weak that seal is. I don't want to hurt people I don't intend to."

"I would like your help as well," Jiro added, his eyes still marked with the initial stage of Sharigan.

Jiraiya stared at the young man for a second. He then laughed. "Distant cousin, eh? Tsunade, you..." He shook his head. "I'll see about sparring with you, though I want to teach you how to form seals in case your wife gets out of hand and I'm not around."

Ai bristled more with anger at the man while Jiro merely nodded.

* * *

"So, what 'great' training do you have planned?" Ai grumbled.

"I want you to make Rasengan your own. Find a way to advance the technique. Make it stronger," Jiraiya grinned, seemingly at his own 'brilliance.'

"And why didn't you suggest I start working on this before?" Ai yelled at him.

"I don't like telling the reason for things in training, but I guess I should warn you." Jiraiya folded his arms irritably. "There's a real simple reason. Rasengan takes a large amount of chakra to use properly. When you try to work on improving it, you'll be tapping into the Kyuubi."

Ai stared at him in disbelief. "Won't that cause the seal to become weaker?"

"Yes and no." Jiraiya roughed up Ai's hair. "Just work with your chakra and the Kyuubi's. I'll be here if something goes wrong."

"Yeah, right," Ai spat as she stomped away.

* * *

Jiraiya did not particularly like this village. All the females were either middle-aged and married or younger than Ai. As such there was little scenery available for him to 'watch.' He had been updated on the changes to the cover story that Ai and Jiro were using and took an image of a seemingly frail and elderly one-armed man to act as the one who had been the girl's mentor. After all, a ninja that was missing an arm would be allowed to retire peacefully so long as he carried no damaging secrets.

Jiro was doing well in learning how to create seals. Unfortunately, Sharigan offered no quick means of knowing them. Seals required special knowledge that had to be learned and could not be easily copied. If the boy had full mastery of his new eyes, it would likely speed things up by seeing the chakra flow while forming the seals. However, being new to the bloodline limit, this would have to be done the hard way.

Jiraiya didn't want to be bothered as he took a break from watching Jiro and Ai, but knew as soon as the door to the inn opened, he wasn't going to be left alone.

"Hello, I'm Terasen. I guess you could call me mayor of this town," a man on the verge of going from middle-age to elderly greeted. "I've heard you were Ai's teacher."

Jiraiya nodded, thankful for his disguise. These people were a bit too noisy and word of his true appearance could get out of the village far too easily. "I'm Miroku. I guess I should say 'thanks' for watching after the girl."

Terasen frowned at him. "Do you disapprove of Jiro?"

'Miroku' shook his head. "The boy is good for her."

"You didn't abandon her, did you?" Terasen questioned, but then scowled as the man flinched. "How could you leave her? She has been left behind so often, it's a wonder she can even trust Jiro."

"It's not as simple as you make it. There are responsibilities I can't speak of," 'Miroku' defended.

Terasen shook his head. "Ai is still young. She needs her family. Without her real father around, she adopted you for that role, didn't she?"

'Miroku' took a solid drink from his glass. "Ai understands there are duties that have to be taken care of. She's just upset that when she needed me, I wasn't there. She'll understand in time."

"She may understand it now, but it doesn't change that she feels hurt because you weren't there for her. You may not be her father and possibly never asked for the role, but you're the one she wants to look to for guidance," Terasen pointed out.

"I don't know how to help her. I've never had any children." 'Miroku' gazed into his now empty glass. "She has needs and wants I don't know how to help her with."

"So you try to keep your distance instead," Terasen commented with disdain. "Children don't really want answers to their problems. They want someone to listen to them and to offer suggestions. Just be there for her. These past couple months have been rather trying on her. Heard her periods have been a real beast."

'Miroku' chuckled softly. "You have no idea."

* * *

In the field stood a dozen copies of Ai along with the original girl, each of them focused on the same task, performing the Rasengan one-handed.

Jiraiya nodded as he watched the girl and her clones become increasingly frustrated. The path she was taking would be the safest one, but it would still require massive amounts of chakra. She would be tapping into the Kyuubi soon enough, but would give him more time to work with the boy on making sure the beast would stay sealed.

Jiro watched his fake wife with his special eyes. "I can't be sure if she's getting closer to it, or not. I can see the chakra moving but I'm having a hard time discerning how."

Jiraiya laughed. "You'll probably be copying it before long. Now let's see about getting your fighting skills up a notch."

Several scowls were directed at the pair as they moved off and began to spar using strictly taijutsu.

"Ai seems to be extremely upset with you," Jiro observed. "Why didn't you show up here while she was having her period. She's afraid of the Kyuubi getting free."

"She needs to get over that fear if the Kyuubi is ever going to be an asset to her." Jiraiya glanced toward where Ai was training. "Yes, it will leak when she doesn't want it too. However, if she's ever to face the Akatsuki, she will have to use the demon's chakra as her own. She can't do that if we lock that power deep inside her."

"Why don't you tell her that?" Jiro asked. Concern etched on his face for both his fake wife and from being on the defensive from Jiraiya's attacks.

"You're a ninja. You know that too much information can be more damaging than not enough. Without realizing things for herself, she won't get as strong as she needs to be," Jiraiya lectured. "There is nothing more that I want than seeing her succeed. And I'll see that happen even if I have to hurt her myself."

Jiro managed to grab Jiraiya into a grapple. He whispered into the man's ear, "And how long have you known Ai has been eavesdropping on us?"

"Since before we started," Jiraiya returned before breaking out of the hold and throwing the boy. He made it look like he was frowning at his opponent, but it did not escape him that the copy of the girl watching them was crying.

* * *

"I was NOT crying!" Ai protested, folding her arms irritably.

Jiro shook his head, but said nothing.

Sakura patted her on the back comfortingly. "Crying isn't something to be ashamed of."

"The old lech is full of crap. I didn't miss him. He's a complete jerk." Ai turned away from them. "Bastard was probably lying, too."

Jiraiya leapt over the table and in front of the girl. He pointed at her nose. "The day you become Hokage will be the proudest day of my life. I really do want you to achieve all your goals."

Ai punched him in the gut. "I still say I wasn't crying."

* * *

Ai looked haggard and was panting slightly, but she grinned in triumph as she stood alone holding the Rasengan in her hand. No clone had been used to aid her forming the whirling sphere of condensed chakra. "I did it!"

Jiraiya nodded. "You certainly mastered the base of Rasengan. Now advance it. Make it your own."

"How do I do that?" Ai demanded.

Jiraiya poked her forehead. "I've never pushed it beyond what the Fourth devised. No one has. What you do with it will be your own. Not mine, not the Fourth's, but your own move."

"My own move, huh?" Ai looked at the whirling ball of chakra she still held. "What more can I do with you?"

Jiraiya walked off as the girl gazed into the ball she had made. If he didn't want to see her press the seals of the Kyuubi, he would've told her to rest. The girl's chakra was just about used up. Soon it would only be the Kyuubi's energy she would be pulling from.

Jiraiya soon found Jiro with two clones reading through scrolls on how to create seals. He chuckled at how quickly these two were able to advance. With the loss of Byakugan, Jiro would've been unlikely to be considered a chuunin. Now the boy would soon be pushing jounin, especially if he could advance Sharigan to its upper levels.

Answering questions and demonstrating how to form certain seals, Jiraiya was becoming pleased with Jiro's growing ability to leash Ai if the Kyuubi were to get out of control.

Jiraiya was about to call it a day when a wave of heat preceded a bestial howl.

Jiro and his copies leapt past Jiraiya before the sannin could turn around. What they saw upon finding Ai wasn't something they had seen before. The girl was covered in orange chakra than gave her a rough appearance of a one-tailed fox.

"What is happening?" Jiro wondered with great concern.

"Ai finally tapped directly into the Kyuubi," Jiraiya observed. He then took a step back as the fox cloaked girl glared at him. He rushed a dodge as the girl attacked him.

Jiro dismissed his copies and nodded gravely to himself before he pulled out a small piece of paper and began writing upon it.

Jiraiya was losing ground against the girl. A second tail began to form as Jiro came up from behind, leapt over his fake wife and slapped the seal on her forehead. Ai took a few steps forward as the orange chakra boiled away and she fell bonelessly to the ground.

"So, that's the Kyuubi?" Jiro asked rhetorically, shaking his head.

"At its lowest levels, yes." Jiraiya nodded gravely. "I had hoped she'd have more control over that form."

"Guess she's still upset at you," Jiro commented dryly.

"I have that effect on girls," Jiraiya joked hollowly.

* * *

Ai blearily woke up in her bed. Her glazed eyes focused on her fake husband sitting next to the bed. "What happened?"

Jiro frowned. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I was trying to form a second Rasengan in my other hand. I know how to do it, but the thing just wouldn't form," Ai explained. "Did I use up too much chakra, or something?"

"You tapped into the Kyuubi and some of it came out." Jiro sighed. "You tried to attack Jiraiya. I was able to force back the Kyuubi before you did anything to him."

"Shoulda let me rough him up a bit," Ai groused. "I really let the beast out?"

Jiro nodded gravely. "Jiraiya was hoping you'd have more conscious control when accessing that power."

Ai stared off into space. "I'm not sure if anyone was in control. I think I might've been fighting the Kyuubi inside my head."

"I see." Jiro gave her a comforting hug. "That would explain why it was so animalistic. There was power, but little guidance to it. From what I heard of the Kyuubi, it has at least some intelligence."

"More than 'some.' I just wish I understood the beast." Ai sighed. "I know it has some sort of plan."

"Whatever problems you face, I'll be right there with you," Jiro vowed.

"Thanks, but right now my biggest problem is food. I'm starving!" Ai grinned.

* * *

Jiraiya patted Ai on the shoulder. "I'm afraid I can't stay in the village much longer. You don't have to worry about the Kyuubi getting loose. You've got someone watching your back."

Ai nodded slowly. "I figured you wouldn't stay around when there aren't any sexy girls around for you to ogle."

"I've got more important things to do than watch some girl's delicious curves and firm round..." Jiraiya froze for a second, and then coughed. "The Akatsuki aren't going to take a vacation. I need to keep on top of them. To make sure you're safe."

"Make sure those bastards don't screw with Gaara while you're at it," Ai hissed.

Jiraiya smirked as he nodded. "Apparently the Akatsuki made a grab for him recently. The one who tried it lost both his arms. But he was apparently a new and minor member. They seem to rotate a lot through the seat Orochimaru once held."

Ai laughed. "Serves them right for trying to take Gaara. I'll have my new move perfected by the time you return."

"You do that." Jiraiya ruffled her hair. "I'll see you again." The legendary sannin began to walk away, knowing he had one more 'good-bye' to say before he left. Jiro appeared before him after Ai was out of sight. The boy made a couple simple requests that Jiraiya hoped to fulfill.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Coming next: Chapter 7 - Truth Uncovered.  
Ai would say life at the village was boring, but a party changes her mind.

I'm putting out a call for some new pre-readers. I have only one consistent pre-reader, thanks Jeremy Mullin, and a couple that give comments on rare occasions. While I do not expect immediate replies or even a reply to every chapter I send, I would like more input on my drafts before posting them. While my chief concern is grammar, making sure I don't mess up characterization or continuity is also appreciated. If you are interested, send an email to lord_archive with which anime series you'd be willing to help me with: Card Captor Sakura, Digimon, Naruto, Ranma 1/2, Medabots, Harry Potter, Patlabor, and/or The Slayers (the last four may or may not see anything.)


	7. Truth Uncovered

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 7 - Truth Uncovered**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

"You're asleep!" Ai shouted irritably.

"Huh?" Tsunade blinked open her eyes.

"Did you listen to anything that just happened?" Ai demanded.

"You were bitching about Jiraiya ditching you and he was trying to make the Kyuubi come forth." Tsunade folded her arms, looking rather annoyed. "Did he succeed?"

"Of course I did," Jiraiya boasted. "She damned near ripped my face off."

"Shoulda kicked your ass some more." Ai shrugged. "Next part of the story is mostly Jiro's. I've got something to take care of." Without another word she left the room.

All eyes turned toward the teenage boy, who immediately shifted nervously.

"Mind if I ask you a few questions before getting back to the story?" Sakura then glanced toward her master. "It's not about what hasn't been said yet."

Jiro seemed to shrink in his chair. "I suspect you all have a few questions that you didn't want to ask with Ai around."

"Well, you have let her do most of the talking since she got here," Sakura pointed out. "I almost wonder if you're really were Hinata, or someone who took her place. I mean Hinata would never willingly be nude in the same room as Naruto, yet when Ai described that happening she was the one to be nervous."

Jiro looked away while blushing intensely. "It's not that I wouldn't have done that as Hinata... How do I say this? As Hinata, I got so flustered around Naruto because I wanted him to... well... do things to me. I mean, you remember when they told us about sex. How, as kunoichi, we could use feminine charms to get guys, especially teenage boys, to do what we want with the promise of sex, even if we never resorted to actually doing that. I firmly believed as a girl all boys wanted sex, and I wanted to be Naruto's partner, even if the idea of being with a guy like that scared the hell out of me. As Jiro, things weren't the same."

"Are things really different for guys?" Sakura wondered.

"It is and it isn't." Jiro shifted uneasily. "I found myself much easier to be, well, interested. Yet my situation caused me to force myself to maintain control."

"Did you like one of the guys in that town?" Sakura wondered.

Jiro shook his head slowly. "I still love Naruto even as he became Ai. It's how I responded to those feelings that changed."

Sakura blinked in confusion. "I don't follow."

Jiro couldn't look anyone in the eye. "It stopped being wanting Naruto to do things to me and started to be wanting to do things to Ai." He let out a long sigh. "Changing in the same room as her and some of the other things I did were to maintain control over myself and get used to her being right there all the time. Remaining in command of yourself was something Father had tried to instill into me, but it wasn't until I became Jiro did that lesson take hold."

"Oh." Sakura clucked uncertainly. "So... you like girls... as you are."

Jiro shrugged helplessly. "I don't know if it's liking girls or loving the person that is in Ai. I'm not attracted to you, but I'm not interested in Kakashi-sensei either."

"That's good to know," Kakashi chirped in.

"Does Ai know about your feelings?" Sakura wondered.

Jiro's blush intensified even more. "Um, that would be getting ahead of things..."

Sakura almost groaned at the reply. It was a simple question, but considering who she was talking to, lack of an answer didn't necessarily mean that Ai knew.

Jiro coughed. "Let's get back to the debriefing..." He shifted uneasily. "As much as Ai has said this part of the story is mine, there isn't really a lot to be said of it. I arranged for there to be a surprise party for Ai, setting it up a week before Naruto's birthday to play it safe in case anyone outside the village asked questions about her."

"Then why don't we take a break now and wait for Ai to return," Tsunade told them. "And bring some tea in. We're only about half-way done, aren't we?"

Jiro nodded reluctantly. "We've got a half-dozen major events still to go through."

Jiraiya stretched. "Why don't we just summarize the rest of it and be done?"

"Because someone needs to know the whole story and I'd like some idea on how to tell Hyuuga Hiashi what happened," Tsunade explained irritably. "There's no way he'd sit through this mess of a debriefing."

Sakura frowned, knowing she was that 'someone' who needed to know. While this was all interesting, she'd like to know what were the issues against changing the two back to their original bodies.

Jiro went to leave the room, but he didn't get more than one foot outside before leaping back into the room.

"Something wrong?" Tsunade asked.

"Neji-niisan and Tenten-san are out there," Jiro answered nervously.

Tsunade scowled. "They're back from their mission sooner than I expected. That could be an issue."

"Why is that?" Sakura wondered.

"That would be getting ahead of the story. But to put it simply, they've been at our village," Jiro explained.

"I'll take care of this." Tsunade stomped out of the room, knowing that if Neji was allowed to stay, he would be able to watch them with his eyes. When she returned fifteen minutes later with Ai, neither of them looked happy.

* * *

Ai knew something was up. The villagers would stop talking as soon as they saw her. She was certain they were keeping some sort of secret as the silence didn't carry the same air that she had gotten in Konoha as Naruto. She couldn't tell if Jiro knew about it or not, considering his ninja training. She felt trying to worm any information out of him would be futile. She had a good idea who would be an easier target to find out what was going on.

Ai smiled cheerfully, waving at her target as she approached his home. "Hey, Mokkou. How's life?"

"Ah, hello, Ai. Things are good. You?" the teenage boy shifted uneasily.

"I'm doing good." Ai edged closer to him. "Do you know what's going on with everyone?"

Mokkou blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Whenever someone sees me, they stop talking. Is there some sort of secret they're keeping from me?" Ai pressed.

Mokkou turned away. "How would I know? They don't tell me anything."

"Aw, come on, Mokkou. You've got to know something." Ai grabbed his shoulder to make him look at her, but in the process of doing so she spotted what he had been working on. "What's with that gaudy heart thing?"

Mokkou's face flushed deeply. "It's just a little project I'm working on."

"Little project? For who?" Ai pressed.

"I can't say. That'd ruin the surprise." Mokkou laughed nervously.

Ai frowned. "The 'surprise' wouldn't happen to include me, would it?"

Mokkou tried to pull free of her now painful grip, to get some distance from her, but she wasn't letting go. "I, er, well, maybe."

Ai leveled her gaze. "'Maybe?'"

Mokkou seemed to deflate for a moment. "I know it's not right and all... That you're married... But things aren't that good with you and Jiro... And I... And I love you."

Ai jumped several meters away from. "You WHAT?"

"I love you," Mokkou repeated uncertainly.

"Not going to happen," Ai spat. "Just get that shit out of your head." She whirled around and stomped off, leaving the boy to sob where he stood. She stomped out of sight and disappeared in a poof of smoke.

* * *

Sakura grimaced. "Ouch. That was harsh."

"The first time I hear those words, and they were from a guy I thought was just a friend." Ai folded her arms irritably.

"You could've been nicer about it. You didn't have to stomp on his heart," Sakura pointed out.

"Were you any kinder to me?" Ai shot back.

Sakura opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Ai smirked. "Don't take a superior tone when you're no better. He should be thankful I didn't deck him."

* * *

Jiro raised an eyebrow when Ai suddenly scowled viciously and took a sloppy swing at his face. "Something happen?"

"I've been wondering what the secret everyone has been keeping from me. Did you know Mokkou was in love with me?" Ai spat.

Jiro was initially a little nervous, but was relieved that one of Ai's clones had stumbled on a different secret. "I suspected it. He wasn't very discreet about it."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ai snarled, her annoyance growing by her fake husband dodging her attacks as they sparred.

"I should have guessed you wouldn't figure it out," Jiro commented with a sigh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ai growled out.

"Why do you think I agreed to go on this mission?" Jiro asked seriously.

Ai looked confused. "Because you were ordered to."

"I had the right to refuse it," Jiro pointed out. "This mission does go beyond what was expected of any ninja."

Ai stood still, staring dumbly. "You could've refused it? Why did you take the mission?"

Jiro frowned at the girl. "You really don't notice this sort of stuff. As Hinata I had the largest crush on you, Naruto."

Ai blinked. "You LIKED me? A girl actually LIKED me? Why didn't you say anything then?"

"Remember who you're talking to." Jiro smiled sheepishly. "I had a hard enough time talking to Kiba-kun, and he was just a friend. You were everything I wanted to be. We were both failures in the eyes of others, but you didn't let it hold you down. You had confidence in yourself, while I didn't."

Ai pouted. "You shouldn't play yourself down like that. You were a lot stronger than that. To face Neji and not back down."

"I was only able to do that because you were there, rooting for me. You had given me the courage to try to succeed when everyone expected me to run away," Jiro recalled fondly.

"Then I damned near killed you." Ai plopped onto the ground. "Neji didn't hold back at all. He tried to kill you."

Jiro shook his head. "Neji-niisan tried to kill the main house, not me. I was just the representation of it. And it's because of you that Neji-niisan and I were able to be on good terms with each other."

"Yeah, well. Everything is different now," Ai observed.

Jiro nodded, hoping that Ai would be sufficiently distracted.

* * *

Ai was getting awfully annoyed at the villagers. She suspected they were plotting something to set her up with Mokkou. She'd sooner have her arms lopped off than screw Jiro, and she'd do him before any other guy. And it was the lack of intimacy between her and her fake husband which was likely the problem here. The villagers were noticing they weren't 'fully married' and might well believe Mokkou had an honest chance. Which he certainly did not.

There had to be something Ai could do to fix this mess. Make it look like she was really married to Jiro, even if they weren't. She gazed at her silent partner in her long mission as they walked home from training. He seemed to be fidgeting, on the verge of asking her something. But whenever she asked, the boy somehow reverted to Hinata and was all blushing and stammering, unable to phrase a single sentence. Ai wasn't sure what he wanted, maybe he was interested in knowing what she had felt for Hinata before the switch. Frankly, she'd rather not answer that question, considering that Sakura had been very much the focus of Naruto's thoughts, he hadn't really paid attention to any other girl. Hinata had been a fellow ninja to Naruto, not a girl.

"Why don't we wash up and go to the inn to eat?" Ai suggested suddenly.

Jiro blinked. "Huh?"

"These people haven't seen us being, well, 'married.' I thought if we were to make a show of going on a date, they'd get the hint that Mokkou has no chance with me," Ai explained.

"Ah, right. Sure. That sounds good." Jiro started to laugh nervously.

Ai scowled while flushing slightly. Learning that Hinata had a crush on Naruto made Ai wonder if Jiro's similar behavior today meant that the boy still harbored those feelings for her as they were now. She shook her head, hoping she was wrong. If Jiro tried anything, her instinctual reaction might well prove to the village they weren't married.

* * *

"Remember to maintain our cover," Jiro whispered at the inn's door.

Ai looked at him strangely. She had been the one to suggest going here for that very purpose. She pushed open the door to the inn and her eyes widened.

"SURPRISE! Happy birthday!"

Beneath a canvas painted with the words 'Happy Birthday Ai' was the entire village and some of the neighboring farmers. Even Mokkou was there, though he had hidden himself in the back corner. Jiraiya was also present, under the guise of Ai's one-armed master.

Unbidden tears leaked from her eyes. Suddenly everything made more sense. They weren't trying to pair her off to Mokkou. They had been planning this. A birthday party. She had never had one before. In their one shout, more people had wished her a 'happy birthday' than she had ever received as Naruto. It had meant everything when Sakura had made that wish for her two years ago, yet this was somehow even more special. Naruto's birthday may not be until next week, but she would accept today as Ai's birthday.

Jiro put his arm around her back and ushered her toward the center of the room. After standing there for a moment, he prompted, "Say something to them, Dear."

"I... I don't know what to say..." Ai sniffed, hating that her emotions were getting the better of her in front of so many people, yet she wouldn't trade the moment away for anything. "I've never had a birthday party before. I... Thank you, everyone."

"Will you open my present first?" asked the innkeeper's four-year-old daughter, Hana.

"I told you before, presents come after dinner," Hana's mother chastised lightly.

Ai stared blankly. "I have presents?"

"Haven't you ever received birthday presents before?" Teijo asked.

"Little things... never something someone really planned on getting me," Ai admitted.

"I didn't give her one before because I learned of it a bit late, and, well, I was a bit too nervous at the time. We weren't exactly a couple at that time." Jiro added sheepishly. "Amazing how things can change in such a short time."

* * *

Jiro noticed the shadow that was following him from the inn to the outhouse. He had to be cautious in not letting the person know as the pursuer was being extremely good. While Ai was known to have ninja training, he wasn't supposed to know anything.

As careful as the person had been, he was no ninja. He ended up tripping and landing on to his face.

Jiro turned around and looked at Mokkou lying in a mud puddle. "Are you all right?" He approached the boy and offered a hand.

Mokkou slapped the hand away. He shakily stood up, wiping some of the mud from his face. His body was tense, and his jaw tight. He seemed to want to say something, but couldn't get out any words.

"Why were you following me?" Jiro questioned seriously.

"Why do you stay with Ai if you're not happy with her?" Mokkou hissed out.

Jiro shook his head. "Who said I'm not happy with her?"

"Anyone looking at you can see that you're not happy! So why do you stay?" Mokkou demanded.

Jiro frowned, taking a moment to think of a proper answer. "Honestly, I don't know if I was ever happy with the life I had before Ai. I had so many demands on me. 'Make your own decisions.' 'Do as I tell you.' 'Stand up for yourself.' 'Children are to be seen, not heard.' I could never figure out what I supposed to do or how to make my father happy with me. How Ai was treated and what I felt for her didn't help matters. I thought leaving with Ai would make my life easier. It didn't. I no longer have the help from my family. I'm on my own with Ai, and there's no taking back any mistakes. I have to make sure we both can survive."

Mokkou stomped his foot. "Why does she stay with you then? She's not happy either! I could do better!"

"Could you really make things better for her?" Jiro shot back. "What would you do when Ai gets into a fight with you?"

"We'd never argue!" Mokkou protested.

Jiro shook his head. "I had believed that as well. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way no two people have the same wants and desires. At some point she will want something you don't. And she will make her demands quite clear. Would you be able to stand up to her? If you can't, I doubt you'd be the kind of guy she wants. She needs a partner. Someone who could challenge her."

"But, I..." Mokkou growled in frustration.

"I know nothing I say will change you mind. I know how a heart once committed is nearly impossible to move." Jiro sighed. "But you should also know that Ai isn't ever going to chose you, even if something happens to me."

"Like something would ever happen to a lucky bastard like you." Mokkou turned around and ran off towards his home.

Jiro's frown deepened when he heard a noise from the roof of the inn. Only two people he knew of could be there, and he hoped it wasn't Ai but knew it probably was her or one of her clones.

* * *

Jiro followed behind Ai, both of them laden with her birthday gifts. While most of the presents didn't cost the villagers much in terms of money, many of them had a serious investment in time that made them even more valuable to the girl. Arriving at their home, he announced, "There's a few more presents left for you."

Ai turned toward him and her face carried a mix of emotions. "You already got me something."

Jiro nodded. "These aren't from me."

Ai shifted the stuff she was carrying to open the door to her house. Once she saw what was sitting on the table in the main room, she dropped everything she was holding. She immediately leapt to snatch the envelopes resting there. "Rock Lee, Chouji, Shikamaru... Sakura."

Jiro quietly moved to put Ai's presents away while the girl read through the birthday cards for her from Konoha. So entranced was the girl with the cards, she didn't even look at Tsunade's present of more scrolls.

* * *

Sakura tried to force back tears of guilt. She almost vowed to not forget Naruto's next birthday but she realized she already had. It was now November and Naruto's birthday was in early October. She couldn't imagine going through life not having others around for the good times and the bad. Without other people could there even be good times?

"Is there something wrong, Sakura?" Ai asked.

"I'm sorry. Birthdays are important, and yet I've done nothing for you on those days," Sakura tearfully replied.

"I meant what I said before. Hearing you wish me a 'happy birthday' really did mean everything to me. And I still have the birthday card you sent me last year," Ai told her seriously.

Sakura pouted sheepishly. "Wasn't it dangerous to keep those?"

"Kept them with all the ninja scrolls. We'd be in trouble no matter who found those," Ai returned.

"There's Rain-nin trouble and then there's Akatsuki trouble," Sakura countered.

* * *

Chapter 8 - Passing Cloud of Rain Ai and Jiro find themselves in battle in the middle of the village with more than their own lives at stake.


	8. Passing Cloud of Rain

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 8 - Passing Cloud of Rain**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

There was a loud banging at the door. Tsunade scowled as she stood up to answer it, but before she could reach it Hyuuga Hiashi entered the room. His eyes initially focused on Ai, but the gasp and wide-eyed expression from Jiro made him look intently at the boy.

"Hyuuga, I'm not ready to address you about this situation," Tsunade stated firmly.

Hyuuga slammed the door shut behind him. "'Situation?' I was informed early this morning that Jiraiya had returned, yet I received no information about... Hinata."

"As you are keenly aware, that the end of any prolonged mission requires a full debriefing. When that is completed, everything will be explained to you," Tsunade told him in a harsh tone.

"And what will you _explain_ to me? That you turned my oldest daughter into a _boy_?" Hyuuga pointed at Jiro who was seemingly trying to shrivel up and disappear in his seat.

Tsunade massaged her forehead. "There was a choice given to them of what was more important: their ninja skills or their genders. Naruto decided to choose randomly."

Ai waved her hands. "Hey, don't pin the blame on me that you gave us such a devil's choice."

"Was there not better choices?" Hyuuga demanded.

Tsunade slammed her hand onto the table. "I was only allowed to use a template from a dead child. And while there had been a few of them, the two I choose gave the best potential that they would need to improve and advance themselves."

"The only one who needed to advance was Naruto. Hinata would regain her place after changing back. Any skills she gained would be pointless," Hyuuga argued.

"So you'd give the Kyuubi a protector with no teeth? If Hinata didn't advance, especially as she would lose her bloodline ability, she would've been worthless to Naruto. You knew that, yet you still offered her for the mission. To be the guard _you_ suggested, she needed to become a suitable ninja and that body was the best choice for her. Don't start complaining to me about a decision _you_ had made." Tsunade sat down into her seat. "Now if you want to sit in on the rest of this debriefing, you may do so if you keep your comments to a minimum. Otherwise I will summarize and explain everything to you tomorrow, after we're done with this."

Ai grinned. "Perhaps he should sit in on the next event."

"I'm not sure it is wise to even discuss it," Jiraiya ventured. "The next part deals with a secret that would be dangerous to be known."

"Dangerous or not, that secret may be leading Konoha to it's next war," Tsunade said evenly.

"Then you have given me yet another reason for me to be here." Hyuuga looked about the room before he seemed to reluctantly move around the table to sit next to Jiro and away from Tsunade.

* * *

Ai sat in the living room of her home, scratching away at some wood. She carefully dug a blade into it, but a sudden pounding on the door caused her to jump and more fell away from the wood than she had intended. "Another pointless hobby." She tossed the deformed wood into a pile of other mangled attempts at carving along with poor attempts at painting, knitting and sewing.

The pounding didn't cease as Ai went to the door. She was rather surprised to see Hana panting with tears streaming out of her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Bad men... at my home... Mom... Dad... made to do... weird things," she said through gasping breaths.

Ai scowled. "What sort of bad men?"

The poor young girl was hyperventilating. "Not from here... robes with red clouds..."

"WHAT? Red clouds?" Ai was more than a little tempted to run for the inn right now. However the Akatsuki was too dangerous to rush into headfirst. Any knowledge could save her life and the village. She bent down to look the girl in the eye. "Hana, this is important. Tell me everything you can about them."

Hana slowly calmed her breathing, but her tears remained. "One was hunched over, the other had no arms. The hunched over one kept complaining about wasting time. The guy with no arms kept saying he needed more, ah, practice. I think that's what he said. He then produced a glowin' arm and picked up a glass to drink from. Then threads came from his new arm and Mom 'n Dad started ta move funny. Like puppets. The hunched one got mad and left. I ran to get you."

Ai gritted her teeth. "Hana, I need you to run to the Higarashi farm and find Jiro. Tell him to make sure everyone is out of the town. And I want you to stay at that farm. I'll make sure this guy doesn't hurt anyone. Now go!"

Hana nodded and started to run. Ai watched her for a brief moment before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Of all the worst case scenarios, this was, by far, the one Ai wanted the least. An unknown Akatsuki right in the middle of town. For Jiro, the only thing to top it would've been Itachi showing up. The pair rushed from where they practiced and went straight for the inn. They leapt to the top of Taresen's store to assess the situation.

"Interesting chakra I'm sensing." A thin man grinned, his black robe with red clouds fluttered in the wind. The sleeves moved unhindered, showing no signs of arms beneath the silk. "So, the hidden protectors of this town have finally arrived. It's good that my partner left already. He would've been most annoyed at the wait. I made sure to use my time wisely. Wouldn't you say, my little puppets?"

"Yes, Seiki Kon-sama," intoned the innkeeper, his wife and their eight-year-old daughter.

Kon chuckled evilly. "Why don't you greet them?"

Honjin, Saishi, and Keiko suddenly leapt into the air with the speed and power of seasoned ninja. Ai and Jiro had to jump from their hiding places to avoid being hit.

Jiro had already activated his Sharigan and did not like what he saw. "Ai, they aren't trained for those movements. They're tearing their muscles."

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Ai cried out producing a dozen clones of herself. "I hate to do this..." They immediately swarmed the family, tackling them and rendering them unconscious. As painful as her blows would be, the torn muscles would likely be the cause of more agony once this was all over.

"My, you're a brutal one, aren't you? Gaara kept encasing my puppets in sand. Though sadly for you, my defeat at his hands opened me to a new level of power," Kon boasted. "When I fought him I could only control those I touched, and no more than ten. Now this whole village is mine to control. Including you."

Glowing threads shot from the sleeves of Kon's robes. Too many of them to dodge and Jiro was not able to discern how to block such an attack. One by one, Ai's clones disappeared into puffs of smoke.

Jiro found himself pulling out a kunai despite every fiber of his being protesting the action. He shakily raised his foot to walk toward Ai, but he managed to keep himself from moving where he didn't want to go. He would not hurt the person he gave up his entire life for. He would not be a puppet. He would sooner plunge the small metal throwing blade into his own body than into hers.

While Jiro's body jerked and tried to move against his will, slowly his vision began to get clearer. The line of chakra attached to him took a form he understood. It was rather similar to seeing chakra from Byakugan. And the thread held some of the properties of Gentle Fist. Rather than inflict damage on internal organs, the infusing chakra grabbed hold of the outer muscles and made them do Kon's bidding.

Jiro charged his free hand with chakra and severed the thread holding him. "Your trick can't hold me."

Kon, however, wasn't paying much attention to him.

Ai had collapsed to the ground, her grinding teeth echoed loudly. "You think this stupid trick will work on Gaara? It won't fucking work any better on him than it does me!"

"A surviving Uchiha and one of the missing vessels. What secret have I stumbled upon here?" Kon grinned devilishly. "Which one would you be? Six or seven?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Ai looked up at him, her eyes a deep red. Chakra began to leak from her body, encasing her into cloak of energy. "Want to know? Follow me!"

Kon immediately leapt after Ai, but stopped. He turned and glared at Jiro. "Do not think that leaves me without puppets, Uchiha."

"I'm sure you'll be able to control the animals just fine. You will not sacrifice this village for your own gain," Jiro vowed.

"So you think," Kon laughed. "Let's see you say that after I deal with your bitch. This town will be my personal toy."

"That's assuming it survives Ai," Jiro whispered. He then scowled seeing control lines going for long distances in every direction. The guy was prepared for this. He had set up a full trap. Did the Akatsuki know there was a vessel in this town? How would they have even suspected that there was someone like Ai in this town? "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Jiro called out and set to undo as much of the trap he could with his clones while going to help Ai personally.

* * *

Rage was all Ai could feel. How dare they hunt her and the others unlucky enough to be chosen to harbor a tailed demon? How dare they invade her home and threaten innocent lives? This freak even tried to make her and Jiro hurt each other. She would not forgive that.

Ai hissed as she spotted Mokkou and his little brother, Shou, standing in a clearing. She leapt in front of them and ordered, "You've got to get out of here. Now!"

"Seiki Kon-sama, your target is here," Mokkou and Shou intoned without emotion.

"Shit," Ai spat and let loose a powerful wave of chakra that blew the brothers a few meters away from her. She wasn't sure it would've worked, using the Kyuubi's chakra to sever whatever controlled them, but she was slightly relieved to see the pair shake their head and look around confused. "Run away! Now!"

"Ai, what's going on?" Mokkou wondered.

"A fight that should never have come here. Run away from me now!" Ai demanded.

"My, what an interesting appearance you've taken," Kon commented. "That shape is similar to the Kyuubi, but that's the nine-tails."

"Run!" Ai pleaded, while glaring angrily at the Akatsuki.

"Do you think you can keep them from my control?" Kon taunted.

Shou screamed as glowing threads of chakra wrapped around his legs.

"Leave them alone, you bastard!" Ai howled in anger. Her chakra leaking out at an increased rate. How dare he hurt a young boy? He didn't deserve to live.

Rock and wood started to explode away from Ai as one tail became three. She let loose a howl then sent a ball of pure chakra at the Akatsuki.

Kon dodged the attack but watched in amusement as the ball continued on for kilometers, destroying everything it touched. "How is it that you are the Kyuubi? Last I heard the vessel had been a boy named Naruto." He paused in thought. "This would be Tsunade's idea, isn't it? Turning you into a girl to hide you from us?"

Ai didn't answer him with anything more than growling and leaping to attack the armless ninja. Kon produced tentacles and used them to move through the trees and dodge the bestial attacks.

Coherent thoughts became harder and harder to hold on to as only rage remained in Ai.

* * *

Jiro did not like what he saw as he found Ai, landing in the clearing-turned-war-zone with little ability to cover his presence. While they had been training her to control her Kyuubi state, they had yet to go beyond two tails, and now she was already at three. He wasn't sure how much the girl was in control, and how much was the Kyuubi as with each tail she produced her actions turned less human and became far more animalistic. He motioned for the clone he had with him to grab Mokkou and Shou and run.

"Huh? Two of you? What the fuck is going on?" Mokkou demanded.

"For your own health, it's best you don't know," Jiro's clone intoned as he grabbed the brothers and fled the battle with them.

The real Jiro watched the fight continue. The forest was rapidly losing trees as Ai tried to kill Kon. It would be a fallacy to say the battle was one-sided. The Kyuubi may have an insane amount of power, but the Akatsuki was far more intelligent in this fight. Once Kon devised a plan to defeat Ai, if it was viable, there would be little Ai would be able to do to stop it.

As focused he was in dealing with the Kyuubi, Kon had yet to acknowledge Jiro's presence. He hoped that meant Kon had somehow failed to see him. However, hoping for something didn't make it true, and Jiro was well aware of that fact. Still, he had a plan to deal with the enemy, fading into the woods he waited for an opening. When the Akatsuki momentarily airborne from an explosion caused by the Kyuubi's chakra, Jiro leapt into action.

Chidori flared around Jiro's hand as he shot out of cover and went straight for the Akatsuki, intent on plunging his hand into his foe's chest. The smirk on Kon's face made the teenager frown. A tentacle of chakra whipped out and grabbed Jiro by the ankle. With a mighty pull, he was suddenly hurled toward his fake wife. Jiro immediately dropped the lightning chakra and collided with Ai without hurting her. The same could not be said for him as the Kyuubi's vile chakra burned his flesh.

"You are dead," Ai growled bestially. With impossible speed, she barreled into Kon and carried him off into the distance.

Jiro struggled to stand, fighting the pain and burns. His eyes saw an enormous flare of chakra. He quickly jumped into the pit Ai had made when she went to three tails just before fiery chakra ripped apart the landscape. The explosion last only for seconds, but it felt like an eternity. When Jiro peaked out of the pit, there was no longer a forest. Trees had been blown away and laid strewn on the ground pointing away from the source of their destruction.

Slowly and cautiously, Jiro advanced toward the center of the chakra blast. Kon was shaken, but was unfortunately quite alive. Ai, however, was unrecognizable as being human. Four tails of the dark red fox of destruction waved in the air. Evil and murderous intent exuded from the vile beast. Jiro was sure that touching the Kyuubi now would be far worse than the injuries he had already received.

Whatever the reason for the pause in the battle, it ended abruptly with terrain-altering power as the Kyuubi tried to end the Akatsuki's life with seemingly overkill force. That Kon wasn't even hurt by the extended clawed arm reaching out showed it wasn't necessarily excessive.

Jiro could only watch as this battle continued. Between the failed Chidori, his massive use of clones to sever the Kon's controlling threads from the village, and having the Sharigan active for so long at a higher level, he was almost completely spent on chakra. His injuries didn't help matters.

The Kyuubi barely moved from his spot, launching long distance attacks from where it had been on the formation of the fourth tail. The frustration in the beast's inability to kill its foe became all too apparent when it split into three. The center one still didn't move, while the two new copies dashed about trying to corner and kill Kon.

As immeasurable the power of the Kyuubi was, it was indeed finite. The cost of Kage Bunshin may not be as apparent with normal ninja using it, dividing the power of the Kyuubi in three showed a drastic drop in power. That reduction annoyed the terrible beast even more than Kon's refusal to be hit. The clones were called back and merged with the main Kyuubi.

"I can keep this up all day, but can you maintain such power without killing your host?" Kon taunted.

Four balls of guided chakra shot from the Kyuubi's tales in response. Yet Kon dodged each of the energy attacks, which only ended up destroying more of the landscape.

Jiro smirked. Perhaps his situation in this battle was exactly what was needed. He moved to hide as best he could without the use of chakra and waited.

Kon leapt away from a series of claw strike that came at him in every direction, even avoiding attacks he could not see. When he landed, he looked south. "I have to hurry. URK!" He stumbled forward and turned around. He stared in surprise as Jiro shoved another kunai into him. "How...?"

"I already used up all my chakra. So there was nothing for you to sense." Jiro planted one more kunai into Kon's heart.

As the Akatsuki collapsed to the ground, his lifeblood seeping into the dirt, Jiro looked up at the Kyuubi hoping that the death of Kon would soothe it. The beast seemed to struggle a little, yet it still launched a claw at Jiro. Having no chakra remaining, there was no way for him to dodge. He covered his head and prayed Ai could stop the Kyuubi somehow. He heard an explosive thud, but felt no pain. Looking cautiously, Jiro saw a wall of sand before him.

"What?" Jiro wondered, then looked over and saw four Sand Ninja standing a fair distance away. The obvious leader with his imposing stance had red hair and a tattoo of the word 'love' on his forehead. The other guy of the group had black hair peaking out of bandages covering his face. One of the girls stood closer to the leader than was necessary had light brown hair and dark brown eyes, while the other girl with black hair scowled darkly.

The Kyuubi's struggle with itself seemed to intensify while it growled menacingly towards the Sand Ninja.

The leader ordered, "Matsuri, take the boy and run. Sen cover them. Tetsuo, hang back and make sure I stay awake."

"Gaara-sama, you can't intend to fight that monster alone!" cried out the girl closest to him.

Gaara scowled. "I am no different than Naruto. He woke me up before. It is my turn to return the favor." His gaze returned toward the Kyuubi. "His rage has gotten out of control."

Jiro frowned. "Things have... changed for Naruto. There are many reasons for anger, the Akatsuki being one of the bigger ones. If you know how to stop the Kyuubi, please do so."

"Unfortunately, waking him up will not be simple. None of you are to tell my siblings of what I do here," Gaara commanded.

"Gaara-sama?" Matsuri gasped as sand enshrouded her team leader. The commanding and impassive presence changed to a bestial one-tailed demon.

"Geez. How am I supposed to help him when he jumps straight into the beast? At least he's still human sized," Tetsuo complained. "You all had better leave. If I can't hit Gaara with my Genjutsu and reinforce him against Shukaku, making sure that village survives will be the least of our concern."

Jiro was reluctant to leave, as was Matsuri, but Sen managed to pull them away, fleeing towards the village.

* * *

Jiro didn't know which was worse, waiting for Gaara to return with Ai or dealing with two girls nervously watching for their leader's return. Sen tried not to be obvious, while Matsuri seemed to hold no reservation about hiding her concern for her leader. Jiro was quite sure these girls held feelings for Gaara that had nothing to do with him being a ninja and their superior. He could relate to them to a certain degree, yet remembering the uncertainty of waiting on Naruto to return from his attempt to bring back Sasuke felt like a different time that was worlds away now.

The disaster kept growing in size and intensity. The nearby forest was being turned into a giant pit. Explosion after explosion of raw power and chakra shook the ground. And if the noise had been bad, the abrupt stop was even more nerve racking. It seemed like an eternity before Gaara, holding a person wrapped in a blanket, and Tetsuo arrived at the village.

Jiro's lack of chakra was the only reason Sen and Matsuri beat him to Gaara.

The Sand-nin leader scowled. "This is not Naruto. What is the meaning of this?"

"A long story," Jiro answered meekly. "One that I wouldn't have been able to tell you before today. However, it is quite clear that our cover has been blown."

* * *

Before opening her eyes, there was pain. Horrible, needle-like pricks of agony covered her entire body. When she took a tentative look to see where she was, she thought she was dreaming or having some sort of delusion. "Gaara?"

"You know me?" was the reply.

"How can I not? After the fight we had during the fiasco of a chuunin exam, and then... oh, crap." Ai patted her chest, thankful to not feel pain but not pleased at herself for breaking cover. "Can you forget I said that?"

"You really are Naruto, aren't you?" Gaara questioned.

Ai looked away. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you are the vessel of the Kyuubi," Gaara stated simply.

Ai sat up quickly. "That Akatsuki... Oh, man. What happened? I remember him hurting Jiro. I got really pissed and... nothing."

"You kept fighting him as the Kyuubi. The force of your attacks drew us from our border patrol. I knew your foe all too well. A chakra master able to bend and manipulate his own and others to degrees I had not thought possible. With his chakra sensitivity, he was the perfect foil for us vessels. As our attacks are almost nothing but chakra, he would sense and avoid our attacks. Jiro managed to kill him after draining himself of his own chakra," Gaara explained.

"Did I... did I hurt anyone?" Ai wondered nervously.

"Jiro has a few chakra burns, but nothing serious," Gaara answered.

Ai let out a relieved sigh. "Those were from just before I blacked out."

Gaara frowned. "The Kyuubi did try to kill him. Had I been any later, he would've died by your hand."

Ai clutched her blankets tightly. "Damn it! Just when I think I'm gaining some sort of control, it goes wild. Damn that stupid beast!"

"The demons are a curse placed upon us, but they need not rule us. You taught me that," Gaara intoned.

"Yeah, and some days the demons kicks us in the ass," Ai griped. "As much as we try to live our lives, we can't forget we aren't normal. Attacking the village... I could deal with, but Jiro. He just stood there, didn't he?"

Gaara nodded. "He seemed resigned to it."

"Moron would have no regrets." Ai huffed. "You could say he already died once for me, and he'd do it again."

Gaara shifted nervously. "He knows you were born a guy, right?"

Ai laughed. "Yeah, and he was a girl before this mission."

"He wasn't the girl that I..." Gaara trailed off uncertainly.

"Nope. Doubt Sakura-chan would've gone for this. She wouldn't have been turned into a guy from the Uchiha clan, that's for sure. I didn't exactly know her before this, but apparently she had a crush on me," Ai explained.

"This all sounds... complicated." Gaara shook his head.

"More complicated than I like, that's for sure." Ai slipped out of the bed and seized up as she put pressure onto her legs. "Why do I hurt so much?"

"When you became the Kyuubi, the outer layers of your skin burned away. I had thought its coloration was the result of dark chakra, but it was dark red from your blood," Gaara explained.

Ai grimaced. "Yeah, stupid beast sucks shit." Tentatively she walked out of the room in search for food. She found Jiro questioning a bandaged sand-nin about his genjutsu. "Hey, everyone okay?"

Jiro immediately went to her. "Are you okay?"

"More hungry than anything right now," Ai replied.

"I'll get you some food." Jiro sped off toward the kitchen.

Gaara glared towards the door. "Everyone, stay inside. You especially." He pointed at Ai.

Ai scowled. "That bastard's partner is here."

Gaara nodded and left Ai's home. In the street before him stood a hunched figure wearing a black robe with red clouds. "Do you wish to share the same fate as your partner?"

"I got tired of waiting for Kon and I find evidence of a jinchuuriki battle. And now I find you here in the Country of Fire. What brings you here, soon to be Kazekage of the Sand?" the Akatsuki questioned harshly.

"I found evidence of my prey's whereabouts and sought to finish what I had started with his arms," Gaara intoned.

"And where did you learn of Kon's presence here?" the Akatsuki pressed.

"That is none of your business. I do not wish any more harm to this village. Leave now before I change my mind," Gaara demanded.

"Why flee and wait for another time to claim your powers?" the Akatsuki threatened.

"Because it would be highly doubtful you'd live through this battle," a new voice threatened.

"Jiraiya," the Akatsuki hissed. "Things are more complicated here than I thought."

"I'll be taking care of this little trinket." Jiraiya held up a ring.

The Akatsuki growled. "The odds would seem to be against me. As much as I loathe to say it, this will have to wait for another day." With a puff of smoke, the figure disappeared.

"He wasn't even here," Jiraiya muttered.

Ai tentatively stepped out of her house. "I guess it's time to move. Huh?"

"With the Akatsuki showing up after you kicked the crap out of some Rain-nin, I'd certainly say so." Jiraiya folded his arms. "This is the break I was looking for, and you stumbled upon it."

Ai looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing that concerns you right now. As soon as you're ready, you're getting as far away from Rain Country I can get you," Jiraiya told her seriously.

* * *

"So, you managed to find success within your own failure," Hyuuga commented.

Jiro flinched. "Relying on my own physical abilities was the only way to defeat him."

"If your cover was blown, why didn't you return here?" Sakura wondered.

"We weren't entirely sure how blown it was. All we knew was that it wasn't safe to be in that village anymore. We didn't want to leave, but staying there would've put them at greater risk. We certainly didn't want the Akatsuki to pay us a visit after Jiraiya and Gaara left," Ai griped.

Jiraiya nodded. "The best solution was to move them to a place they would have allies and yet far away from where the Akatsuki are based."

"Where would that be?" Sakura wondered.

"The Land of Waves," Ai grinned.

* * *

Next Chapter: On Distant Coast Ai and Jiro move to the other side of the Country of Fire to set up a new life, but this time they have friends around.

For those following Naruto continuity closely, this chapter indirectly explained where the divergence occurred that led to this series. The ring Jiraiya shows Sasori was the one that marked Kon as a member of the Akatsuki, which had previously been owned by Orochimaru. In the Naruto series, Orochimaru still has the ring. For Between Deception and Truth, Sasori was able to retrieve the ring and pass it to Kon whose chakra mastery allowed them to speed up gathering the immense chakra of the jinchuriki much sooner.

* * *

Sasori joined his fellow Akatsuki in a communicative trance. "Kon has died."

"We already know this," intoned Pain, as he scowled with his many ringed eyes. "His death seems strange though. He should not have fallen to a jinchuuriki."

"It would seem there was not just one, but two. Gaara was there, as was the Kyuubi. Though I do find it odd that the vessel for the Kyuubi was a girl and not Naruto," Sasori explained.

"Tsunade," Itachi stated simply. "She could've given Naruto a different body to try to hide him from me."

"Why would that even matter? Let's just go get the Kyuubi and be done with it," Kisame muttered.

"Without Kon our means of extracting the tailed demons has been severely hurt. It will take some time before we are ready to try again. And without Kon, the Kyuubi will need to be the last one," Pain informed. "Find the missing jinchuuriki and prepare for the time we are ready to complete our plans."


	9. On Distant Coast

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 9 - On Distant Coast**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

"The Land of Waves?" Sakura questioned. "You moved over to that bridge we helped made sure was built?"

Ai nodded. "Yep. They even named it the Great Naruto Bridge!"

"You're joking!" Sakura gasped.

Jiro shook his head. "They really named it that."

"Wait, didn't you say that Tenten and Neji were at your village?" Sakura wondered.

"I only said 'our village.' I never said it was the village we had been talking about," Jiro corrected. "If I had told you where we had seen each other, I would definitely have gotten ahead of the story."

Sakura pouted.

* * *

"Is something bothering you?" Jiro asked suddenly.

Ai looked at her partner with a confused expression. "Why would you think that?"

Jiro lifted his hand, which the girl was holding onto as his answer.

Ai blinked wondering when they had started to hold hands, yet she didn't pull away from him. She looked away. "I guess I don't like it that I'll be lying to people I trust."

"It's not something that can be helped," Jiro reminded.

"I know that. But that doesn't make it any easier. I put my life on the line for Inari and his mom, and now I have to convince them I'm a girl they've never met," Ai pointed out.

"At least we don't have to lie about being ninja to them," Jiro pointed out. "And your skills are far more advanced now than they were when you were first here."

Ai sagged. "May as well hurry and get... there?" Her eyes widened in shock as she spotted the start of a massive structure with 'The Great Naruto Bridge' engraved above it. "They named it after me?"

Ai immediately ran across the bridge, dragging Jiro with her as she had not let go of his hand. When they arrived at the other side, the girl was almost in tears as she saw that full tribute to her former self had been done. She wasted no time going to the restaurant at the end of the bridge and ordered the largest bowl of ramen they had.

"What brings you two to the Land of Waves?" Yamamoto, the skinny ramen shop owner, asked.

With Ai's face planted into her food it was left to Jiro to answer, "We're looking for a place that we can find work."

Yamamoto laughed. "Well, don't know how much you two kids can do here. Between shipping cargo and fishing, all the real work would break your backs. It's why I run a restaurant. My back has been broken enough."

"We'll see." Jiro shrugged. "I was told a man named Tazuna might be able to help us out."

Yamamoto shook his head. "Maybe while the bridge was under construction. Now there's little left to be built."

"Won't truly know until we ask him," Jiro returned.

* * *

Ai and Jiro made their way through the island town. As they approached their destination, Ai fell back a step and then seemed to disappear. Jiro wondered why the girl went to see the child that had been watching them while trying to remain hidden from sight.

"Ya know, kid, if you're trying to hide yourself, ya need to blend into the background and not move around," Ai chastised the hidden boy.

The black haired boy jumped from his hiding place. "You must be a strong ninja to spot me!"

Ai laughed. "Who said we were ninja?"

"You don't move like normal people, and you're very fast," the boy retorted. "Besides, Grandpa has been asking Konoha for ninja to protect the town, and I want to learn how to be one."

Ai ruffled the boy's black hair. "And what if I'm a ninja not from Konoha?"

The boy knocked her hand away. "I would have to defend my home!" he pledged, taking a rather rough fighting stance.

"Defend your home, huh?" Ai growled jokingly and quickly grabbed the boy by his ankle and yanked him up as if he was a giant fish. "Hey, Jiro, he looks a little scrawny. Should I throw him back?"

Jiro didn't reply, merely palming his face instead.

Ai seemed to ponder the situation. "How about you show me where Tazuna is and we'll call everything even?"

"Not a chance!" the boy howled.

Ai shrugged. "No choice then. Off to the ocean for you." She took a couple steps.

"You can't do that!" the boy cried out.

The door to the nearby home opened. "What are you doing to my son?" demanded the woman.

"Just teasing the boy." Ai flicked her wrist and Inari found himself momentarily airborne, but the girl caught him before he landed.

Jiro bowed to the woman. "Please excuse her. She's a rather lively person and has little sense of propriety."

"Sounds a bit like a certain Konoha ninja I knew," came a gruff old voice. An elderly man stood behind the woman. "Who do we have here?"

"Two people passing through," Jiro answered.

"Unless you happen to be Tazuna," Ai added with a smirk.

The old man scowled. "What do you want with me?"

Ai lifted her shirt to reveal a Konoha ninja headband that she was currently using as a belt. "We came about your request to have ninja help protect the Land of Waves. I'm Ai, and the stiff over there is Jiro."

"Ai," Jiro hissed.

Tazuna shook his head while smiling. "Finally got approval, huh? That's super. Is it just the two of you?"

"Afraid so. Without a major threat, we're all you'll get," Ai answered.

The woman frowned. "I'm Tsunami. Please don't tease Inari."

"Aw, I don't mean him any harm." Ai then glanced at the boy. "Now if he really wants to be a ninja, though, then he's likely to get hurt."

"Absolutely not!" Tsunami protested.

"Mom!" Inari whined.

"Save that for another time," Tazuna barked. "I have a place you can stay at. It's one of the shacks that the builders used when we were making my super bridge. It's small, but it should work super for you two."

Jiro nodded. "That is good, but first we will need to talk to you in private."

* * *

After verifying they were indeed alone, Jiro nodded towards Ai.

The girl grinned and used a transformational henge to take the appearance of a blond haired boy.

"NARUTO?" Tazuna cried out.

"Geez. Not so loud, old man. We don't want people to know I'm here," Naruto chastised. "We can't even let Inari and his mom know."

"Why is that?" Tazuna wondered.

Naruto pouted.

"It is not uncommon for ninja to become marked for death by enemy countries or groups. One particularly evil group wants Naruto, and each of them are among the strongest ninja alive," Jiro explained.

"Why would they want Naruto-kun?" Tazuna wondered.

"It's not something I can tell you," Naruto replied.

"Classified, huh? That's just super," Tazuna growled. "But why do you have to keep yourself hidden?"

"We don't want them to find Naruto until he's ready to face them one-on-one or even two-on-one and win. And if word gets out that Naruto is here, these ninja would come for him, and might destroy the entire island in their attempts to get him," Jiro warned.

Tazuna's eyes widened.

"That's why we're telling you who I am. If my cover here is blown, I may need you to send a message to Konoha for us to get reinforcements." Naruto tried to grin, but it looked forced. "I can tell you who to look out for. The ninja after me all wear black robes with red clouds on them."

"I'll be sure to warn the village of them. They'll have to get through us to get to you," Tazuna promised.

Naruto waved his arms wildly. "You can't do that! Any one of them could kill the entire village in minutes. There's no way for a normal person to fight them."

Jiro thought for a moment. "Though asking a few people you trust to watch for those men and warn us if they appear would certainly be of help. But these people must be ones who are able to keep secrets and not talk about the robes with red clouds. If word gets out that the Land of Waves is on the watch for them, they would come straight here."

"Ninja business can be super annoying," Tazuna muttered.

"Sure can," Naruto laughed, letting his henge go and returning to being a purple haired girl.

"Why do you look like that?" Tazuna wondered.

"This is the best way for me to finish my training. They're looking for a boy, not a girl," Ai returned.

Tazuna laughed. "Ah, that is super. Then I have less concerns about the small shack I'm putting you into, considering you're both really guys."

Jiro flushed slightly, but said nothing.

* * *

'Small' wasn't the word for it. Naruto's apartment in Konoha was much larger than this place. It functionally consisted of only two rooms: main room and the wash room. There were no walls separating the kitchen, main room and bedroom. In order to sleep on the futon mattress, they would need to place the table they were to eat off of against the wall.

Jiro looked at the small couch in the supposed main room area. "I'm supposed to sleep on that?"

"Bah. The bed is big enough to share," Ai offered.

"We don't have to keep that up anymore," Jiro reminded.

"I know. But we've been sharing a bed for months now. I've gotten rather used to it," Ai returned.

"Are you sure?" Jiro asked with nervous skepticism. "I am still a guy."

Ai shrugged. "Sure we're going to be a bit cramped, but I don't think our ninja skills are going to remain secret for long. They're going to wonder why we were sent to this backwater town. I figure letting them guess there are issues with us having some sort of relationship would work."

"Failing to complain about being put in tiny little shack with one bed would certainly make them think that," Jiro commented. "I hope they aren't anywhere near as bad as they were at the village. You couldn't sneeze there without everyone knowing it."

* * *

Much to Jiro's relief, the Land of Waves didn't spread rumors at all. Being a port town, the population changed whenever a ship pulled in. And as the ships brought cargo, that gave Jiro a job helping unload and load ships. As the cost of living here was higher than in the village, Ai also got a job, working as Yamamoto's assistant at the ramen shop. Though in both cases, the workers were really clones while the real Ai and Jiro practiced on a part of the island few visited. The only rumor he heard concerning Ai and himself was the question if they were married or just lovers.

While working, Jiro's skills had him doing the odd jobs that required flexibility. He would be the one to enter ships as they were loaded and unloaded cargo and supplies as he could get away from falling boxes far easier than any of his coworkers. Even with a skilled person operating the crane, accidents happened far too often. The third time in a week the cargo came loose and dropped a ton of supplies, but this time it was almost straight on top of Jiro. If anyone watched him evade the falling crates, they would immediately know he was a ninja. "That was too close," he muttered to himself.

"Get me out of here!"

"Quiet! Do you want to be killed?"

Jiro turned and looked at the door he had landed near. If what he heard was nothing, he'd blame the door popping open on the falling cargo. With a swift kick the door flew away. He stared in anger at what he saw. A dozen girls were shackled to the ship and some of them were barely dressed. There was no question that these girls were cargo and that this was no prison ship.

"You're not supposed to see that."

Jiro turned to look at one of the men who operated this ship. "So, this is your real cargo? Sex slaves?"

The bulky man nodded. "Well, I could offer you a deal. How about some time with one of our packages to keep quiet?"

Jiro made sure the man would never say another word again, as two kunai plunged into him, one in the heart and the other in the throat. He knew he only had a moment before others would come to see what was going on. Jiro immediately went into the room and called out, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" There were now six copies of Jiro in the room and they had the shackles off the girls in seconds.

One of the girls immediately gave thanks for the rescue and rushed into the cargo hold, while a couple girls had to be coaxed into leave the room. The dead body didn't help to embolden any of them, rather it caused the girls to be even more skittish.

With all the girls free now, the Jiro that found them disappeared in a puff of smoke to inform the real Jiro of the situation, while the other clones set to lead the girls to safety. There was no surprise that the stairs were guarded, the trap on the stairs unfortunately had caught them off guard. An alarm sounded as electricity hit the three clones who had made it to the steps, causing them to disperse.

The surprised guards were quickly cut down with a volley of shuriken from the two remaining Jiro clones. Taking down the guards on the stairs didn't end the electricity flowing over the metal steps. They were still trapped as two large 'thuds' were heard and the girls began to scream. As intimidating the two men who had just jumped down into the cargo hold appeared, the two clones made short work of them. One of the clones then leapt out of the cargo hold, while the other remained to guard the girls.

On deck, the clone of Jiro quickly attacked those who worked on this ship. He heard his boss, Kaishin, yell at him, but Jiro quickly shouted back, "This is a sex slave ship!"

Kaishin had been running onto the ship already. When the man peered into the cargo hold, he didn't see the other clone, but he did not miss the scared and barely-dressed girls. Kaishin let out a battle cry and immediately joined Jiro in fighting the crew. As word spread out of the sex slave ship, Jiro's co-workers and sailors from other ships came to help out.

Before the real Ai and Jiro could get to the ship, the entire crew was either dead or tied up and the girls had blankets and tarps wrapped around them.

* * *

Of the dozen girls, only half of them took the offer of free passage home. The other half claimed to have no homes to return to. Five of those who remained were given two shacks to stay in, which Tazuna, Ai, Jiro and several townsfolk had worked on to make them livable for these girls. The remaining girl, Keiko, had been the youngest of the sex slaves, a year younger than Inari, and a widowed woman took the girl into her home to be her daughter.

Ai made a particular effort to befriend the girls, especially as not everyone in town was happy with the new residents. No one said anything bad about them, but the silence that persisted when the girls went anywhere was certainly something that Ai remembered and loathed.

That unnatural silence included Keiko, and the other children noticed. A skittish and shy girl was an easy target for those seeking to boost themselves by tearing someone else down. While Ai tried to help the girl, it came as no surprise to her to see Keiko helping drag a badly beaten Inari towards his home. She didn't ask the pair what happened, rather Ai picked up the boy and got him to his house. In her arms, the boy felt safe enough to let unconsciousness fall upon him.

Tsunami rushed out of the house as they approached and cried out, "What happened to Inari? You weren't trying to teach him how to be a ninja, were you?"

Ai turned and gazed at Keiko.

The girl tried to hide behind Ai and stuttered out, "N-n-no, h-he s-save m-m-me from s-some b-b-bullies."

"I only found them after the fact. Wish I had been there to teach those kids a lesson," Ai growled. "And Inari wasn't playing at being a ninja, he was being one. He would've come out of that far better if he knew how to defend people better."

Tsunami didn't offer a reply, instead she guided Ai into the house and had her set the boy onto his bed.

"I'll be right back with Jiro." Ai didn't wait for a reply before the clone disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Minutes later, when Ai returned as promised with Jiro in tow. Her partner immediately moved to check Inari's injuries and apply ointment to his vast amount of bruises. Keiko helped to rub the medicine into the boy's skin.

Ai didn't miss the clouded look on Tsunami's face. "When Inari gets better, I'm going to find out whether or not he wants revenge on those bullies. If he doesn't want to get back at them, but wants to learn how to protect the people he cares about, I'm going to teach him how to fight."

Tsunami glanced at the teenaged girl. "I had thought you already were. Some of those bruises were not from today."

Ai clenched her fist. "I will see a stop to that."

"Thank you." Tsunami's gaze returned towards her son, but Ai noticed it wasn't the boy she was looking at.

"You don't have any problems with her do you?" Ai whispered in a harsh tone.

"I want to say I don't...," Tsunami hesitated. "She really needs someone like Inari to help her, but..."

"But...?" Ai pressed.

"You know what they used her for. That she's... experienced. She might show her gratitude in ways that Inari isn't ready for," Tsunami expressed her worry quietly.

Ai scratched her head. That wasn't the sort of thing she was expecting to hear. It certainly could be a problem if Keiko decided to reward her savior with sex, considering that the girl already had her virtue robbed from her. "Don't know what to say, save maybe talk to her. Let her know how ya feel. That being Inari's friend is fine and all, but anything more should come later. _Much_ later."

* * *

Ai had scouted a safe area for training. This would be the first day she would formally train Inari since his injuries. It came as little surprise to her that the boy arrived ten minutes early, though she had actually expected him sooner. That Keiko was with him was no surprise either.

"Excuse me, Ai-sensei," Keiko squeaked out nervously.

Ai blinked. With that one honorific, she knew what was coming next. "You want to be trained too?"

Keiko nodded sheepishly. "When they pulled down my pants to look at me, I did nothing to stop them. When Inari-sama was hurt, all I did was watch."

Red flashed over the ninja's eyes. "Did they do anything else to you?"

Keiko shook her head. "No, Ai-sensei. I don't think they... know about... what would happen after that. Inari-sama saved me before, well..."

Ai clenched her fist. That ignorance wasn't likely to last for long considering that if Inari hadn't shown up and killed the mood for the boys, they might've figured things out, whether Keiko wanted it or not. "You better believe I'm going to teach you." And the girl would be gaining a shadow until the tormentors were stopped.

"So, what's first?" Inari asked.

"Why do you want to learn how to be a ninja and fight?" Ai asked the boy.

"To protect my home and the people I love!" Inari answered, causing Keiko to blush madly.

"After I taught you how to fight, what do you plan to do to the ones who beat you up?" Ai demanded.

Inari folded his arms. "If I was going to go after every person that hurt me, I'd have to go after half the island. If they don't cause any more trouble, I won't bother with them."

Ai ruffled the boy's hair. "Good. Remember that. Vengeance is pointless if you lose everything you care about getting it." She then paused in thought. "Well, this changes things a little. But you both still need to start at the basics."

* * *

After a week of training Inari and Keiko, Ai wanted to groan as she watched the pair spar. Neither kid wanted to hurt the other, but if they couldn't go all out on each other, they would have issues using all their strength against real enemies.

"This is your super training regime?" Tazuna asked as he approached.

Ai didn't miss his sarcasm. "Hey, it takes years to become a full ninja. Don't expect them to become top fighters in a week."

"It still looks like a sissy fight," Tazuna muttered.

Ai scowled before stepping forward and clapped her hands. "That's enough of your pitiful fighting. You're both better than that."

"I can't hurt her!" Inari protested.

"The way you were going, you couldn't hurt a fly. If she's going to get any better, you need to hurt her. And the same holds for you, Keiko. If you see an opening, hit him. If you don't show him where he's weak, he won't fix it," Ai barked at them.

"Bah! I know you and your boyfriend hold back. Hell, you don't even practice!" Inari protested.

"We don't, do we?" Ai smirked viciously. "Follow me." She began to walk deeper into the island, followed by the two kids and Tazuna.

Soon they began to hear the sounds of fighting. When they arrived at a large clearing, they saw the blur of furious combat moving at speeds that made it hard for them to follow.

"What? How?" Inari demanded.

"You know I can make copies of myself. So can Jiro. Those two are the real ones. I'm a shadow made solid. Just like the one working at the ramen shop right now, and the Jiro working at the docks. Everyday we practice, pushing ourselves to be better than we were yesterday," Ai explained.

Keiko flinched seeing a momentary pause in the battle caused by both the real Ai and Jiro landing solid and devastating blows on each other. "H-how can y-you h-hurt s-someone you c-care f-f-for?"

"Because if I don't, neither of us would get stronger." Ai patted the girl on the head. "Finding our weaknesses, building our stamina, being able to absorb pain and injury are all important things in fighting. And it can't be done if you keep the kid gloves on."

"When can I do stuff like that?" Inari asked excitedly, his eyes firmly fixed on the all-out sparring match.

"You never will if you can't punch Keiko with all your strength," Ai told him firmly. "Now let's get out of here. We're cramping their abilities."

Soon they were all back to where Inari and Keiko's training area. As directed, they began to spar once again. There was still some hesitance, but after the girl gave the boy a black eye, he responded by kicking her legs out from under her.

Inari blinked. "Are you okay?"

Keiko rubbed her left leg. "Yes. How about you?"

Inari touched his tender eye. "Um, fine. I guess."

"You're not m-m-mad at m-m-me, are y-y-you?" Keiko asked skittishly.

Inari shook his head. "Course not. I want to be stronger."

Keiko stood up. "So do I."

Inari moved to face her, and the pair began again. There was still some hesitation in their movements, but both would come home sporting bruises with Inari carrying more of them than Keiko. The sparring came to a sudden end when he planted a solid hit to her gut with such force that she almost threw up.

"That's enough, you two," Ai announced with a grin. "Right now, even with all your bruises, you could beat the shit out of the you that woke up this morning. I know it hurts, but you've gotten a lot stronger."

Inari nodded weakly, looking guiltily at the girl.

"Same time tomorrow?" Keiko wondered.

Ai nodded. "Of course. Be sure to use those ointments Jiro gave you to use. If something really hurts, don't be afraid to ask Jiro to take a look at it."

"Can I have a word with you?" Tazuna asked, watching the two kids leave.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Ai replied, making a single copy of herself to follow the kids covertly. The remaining clone turned towards the man. "What do ya want?"

"I've been wondering about something." Tazuna rubbed his chin. "You're really a guy, right?"

"Of course I was," Ai returned.

"Well, what sort of relationship do you have with Jiro?" Tazuna wondered.

"A complicated one," was Ai's short reply.

"Look, I know it might not be any of my business, but some things don't add right," Tazuna stated. "The Naruto I knew was chasing Sakura's skirt almost the entire time he was here. Yet you don't even give any girl a second look. And everyone I talk to thinks you and Jiro are more than friends."

Ai plopped onto the ground. "Geez, Gramps, you're right. It's none of your business." She then sighed. "But you're the only person who knows the real situation I can talk to. Old Pervert-Sennin isn't likely to show up for weeks, and even then he'd be of no help."

Tazuna folded his arms. "Well, I am a super listener."

Ai sat there for a moment. "I really don't know how to explain it. When I got this mission, Jiro was a girl who volunteered to help guard me because she had a big crush on me. Only I didn't know about that until some weeks ago. Changing our appearance and genders along with living together, her crush kind of got trampled on."

"But those feelings didn't go away entirely, did they?" Tazuna observed.

"Yeah," Ai groused. "He still likes me as more than a friend. When we first started living together, he told me he had 'no intention of being a father.' I didn't understand at the time that he was saying he wanted to be the mother of my kids."

"I see. I see." Tazuna nodded.

"At the time he was only a friend. I barely knew him as a girl." Ai laughed sheepishly. "Now... once the mission is over, well, we probably still be living together, just differently."

"Ah, right. That's super." Tazuna walked off in a daze.

* * *

With the way Keiko was gripping her stomach, Ai would be sending Jiro to pay her a visit to make sure Inari's final blow didn't cause any real damage. Following the girl was probably a good idea as her adoptive mother might have some questions as to why she had been bruised so badly.

Ai hadn't paid much attention to three young men sitting at a corner. The ones who beat up Inari before had been his age, while these guys were older than she was. However, when the men saw Keiko, they moved to block her way home.

"Well, if it isn't the little prostitute?" The young man grabbed her by the shoulder. "How'd you like to make some money tonight?"

"I don't do that any more," Keiko replied.

The men laughed with one of them commenting, "Once a whore, always a whore. Your older sisters are certainly still putting out."

"Not all of them," Keiko insisted.

"All you have to do is find the right price," the third man sneered. "Even Yamiko was willing, with the right motivation."

The man holding her added, "And I'm dying to know how tight your arse is."

Keiko's eyes widened and her arms seemed to move on their own accord. She drove her knuckles into his stomach and then when he was hunched over, slammed the side of his face with her palm. "That's for Inari!"

"Never been done in the arse, yet? So, I'll be the first," the guy she knocked over muttered darkly as he shakily got to his feet.

His two friends moved to grab her, but she elbowed one of them in the stomach and kicked the other guy's kneecap.

"You little bitch! No fucking way we'll pay you now!" one of the men cursed.

Keiko replied by stepping into the man's lunge and bringing her knee straight up between his legs. "I will not be bought! I will not be taken!"

While the girl fighting them had caught the men by surprise, especially that she seemed skilled enough to take any one of them one-on-one, it was still three-on-one. When the guy fell, clutching his privates and squeaking out in pain, one of the other guys grabbed her from behind.

Keiko struggled in the unwanted hug she found herself in. Unfortunately, she had only learned the basics of Taijutsu from Ai and had yet to learn anything other than how to punch and kick with all your strength.

"Hold that bitch steady so I can punch her out." The man reared back his fist, aiming to slug the girl in the face. His arm never moved forward.

"I'd complain about not fighting one-on-one, but I have a bad habit of attacking as a group, even when I'm by myself," Ai sneered, having suddenly appeared behind the guy and was now holding his arm without any apparent effort. "You guys are no longer welcomed in the Land of Waves. If you so much as touch a girl without her permission, I will kill you."

"You and what army, bitch?" snarled the man who had his balls kneed.

"When you fight me, you fight an army. Isn't that right, girls?" Ai called out.

The three men stared in horror as they were now surrounded by dozens of copies of Ai. As one, the clones gave out a battle cry and swarmed the three men.

* * *

"Exile was too good for them," Sakura muttered darkly.

"Those guys weren't really bad. They just felt that seeing as Keiko and the other girls had serviced men before, it meant they didn't have a right to refuse to service them as well," Ai pointed out. "They got punished for hurting Yamiko and for trying to force Keiko, but those men were locals and didn't get kicked out. Though one of them wished he had left town after his mother got through with him."

"They better not run across me, or they'll regret it." Sakura slammed her fist into her other hand with considerable force.

"Anyway, the attack on Keiko certainly smoothed over things with her adoptive mother. Even knowing her injuries had come from Inari, the fact the girl was able to stand up for herself against those who would hurt her was enough to convince her Keiko needed the training. While I'm good at teaching Taijutsu, manipulating chakra isn't exactly my strong suit. The next day Jiro was the one to teach them," Ai continued the story.

"Is there a reason for this to be so drawn out?" Hiashi asked in a flat tone.

"I had offered to give you a reduced version tomorrow," Tsunade reminded.

"At this rate, we'll be here until tomorrow," Hiashi returned.

"Well, if you don't want to hear about the ninja academy's two newest students, then I'm sure you'll love this next part," Ai groused sarcastically.

* * *

"You're pregnant?" Jiro cried out.

The teenage girl could only nod.

"And you want me to... end it?" Jiro asked in disbelief.

"I didn't want this. I never wanted anything to do with that!" the girl insisted.

"Well, I guess there's a way I could, but it'll hurt you," Jiro warned. "You might never be able to have a baby."

"No," Ai barked out. "I won't let you."

Jiro and Yamiko jumped at hearing Ai's words.

"Please understand, I never asked to have men touch me. If I hadn't let them, they would've killed me," Yamiko insisted through her tears. "Why should I have a baby I never wanted? I don't even know the father's name! It could be one of a dozen guys. What did I do that was so wrong that I'm forced to have a baby?"

"What did the baby do that requires the death penalty? You might not deserve it, but doesn't _your_ _innocent_ baby deserve a chance at life?" Ai returned. "I know what it means to be unwanted. I'm an orphan who is a living reminder of a time Konoha lost too many good people, including the leader of our village. No one wanted me. I did a lot of stupid shit trying to just be noticed. I spent a lot of nights cold and alone, without family or friends. It was hard for me, but I survived it all. I have a family of friends now. Something that wouldn't have happened if I was never given a chance to live."

Jiro bowed his head. "I'm not sure what to say about this. My family had wanted me, but I ended up being such a disappointment that I was asked to leave the clan. While I too have ended up being unwanted, sometimes I had wondered if it would've been better to have never been born."

"Your family is the disappointment, not you," Ai spat. "Their crazy rules are the only thing that needs aborted. And you're certainly not unwanted. We're partners now, and nothing is going to change that!"

* * *

"'Crazy rules?'" Hiashi muttered darkly.

"The cursed seal you put on the branch house is nothing but asinine," Ai growled out. "You must have thought so too if you had Hinata take this mission in order to keep her sister from being branded."

"Do not speak of family matters that does not concern you," Hiashi ordered.

"If they involve Jiro, they most certainly involve me!" Ai shot back.

Hiashi flushed with anger.

Jiro blinked. "Wait! F-father, that was the reason for suggesting me for this mission, right? But why did you say that I would be reclaiming my place earlier? Nothing has happened to Hanabi, has it?"

Hiashi looked away. "It would seem your failures may be my own. Hanabi is no better than you were."

Jiro bowed his head.

A soft knock was heard at the door.

"Hopefully this will be a welcomed interruption," Tsunade muttered.

Kakashi reached for the door and opened it.

Tenten peered into the room. "Ano... Sorry to interrupt, but I have a message for Ai-chan."

Ai's gaze locked on the girl. "Something wrong?"

"Your daughter just won't drink from a bottle..." Tenten began.

"I told them I had only breast fed her and that there was no way she'd accept being fed from a stranger," Ai muttered. "I'll be back."

* * *

Author's Notes:

I love being evil. ^^

Coming next: Chapter 10 - Truth Revealed The extent of Ai and Jiro's relationship is unveiled.


	10. Truth Revealed

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 10 - Truth Revealed**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

"Ai, wait, I'll help." Jiro moved to stand up, but found someone's hand holding him down.

"You can best help her by explaining this," Jiraiya told the boy before letting go of his shoulder.

Sakura stared at Ai as the girl left to breast feed a baby. She just couldn't have heard that right. Ai was really Naruto! And there was no way in hell Naruto would ever be a mother. Naruto was a guy! She should know, considering he spent over a year wanting to be more than friends with her.

Maybe Ai could've adopted Yamiko's baby? That would make sense to Sakura. Yamiko didn't want to have a baby, and Ai could've taken over the role of being the mother to give the infant a chance at life. But there would be no way Ai could be nursing if the baby wasn't her own. She then glanced at Tsunade, and in particular her teacher's rather large chest. Maybe Ai sent a message explaining the situation and Tsunade sent a scroll that transformed Ai's chest to allow her to breast feed. If anyone could do such a thing, it would be her teacher.

"Still number one at surprising people," Kakashi joked despite the stunned tone of his voice.

Hiashi slammed his hands down on the table. "What have you done? Is that baby really Jiro's?"

Tsunade glared at the man. "How many times do we have to rehash this, Hyuuga? You knew ahead of time that this was a possible result. You know that we avoid setting up missions lasting over six months using two ninja of opposite genders because such missions tend to have a high marriage rate. And I even warned you when you suggested using Hinata about the kind of cover they would use. Even if your daughter had remained a girl, there was a good chance of Hinata becoming a parent of a child that you would have no blood relation too. I don't like this situation any more than you do. However, because of _your_ suggestion, I could not go through with my original plans of personally disguising Jiraiya so he could continue to train Naruto. It was _your_ decision to use Hinata that has caused her to be the father of a baby."

* * *

Ai walked at a fast pace through the corridors of the hospital. "Thanks for the save."

"Save from what?" Tenten wondered as she followed the young mother. "What's going on in that room?"

Ai laughed. "Can't tell you. At least not yet."

"Well, I can figure out you're being debriefed, but it doesn't make sense who was included in it," Tenten tried to figure out.

Ai gave no reply. When she arrived at the hospital's nursery, she passed a confused Neji and a twitching Rock Lee. Wasting no time, Ai unbuttoned her blouse, gathered up her crying daughter and began to feed her with such speed and practice that it was impossible for the boys to even glimpse her bare breast.

Tenten swooned at the scene. "Oh, I want to have a baby."

Now Neji was the one to start twitching.

Tenten didn't like her boyfriend's response, especially as she could be pregnant at the moment thanks to him. Now wasn't the time to bring it up, so she went after her other teammate. "Lee, what's wrong with you? You've been like that since you learned about Shinobu-chan. Don't tell me you liked Ai?"

Rock Lee's twitching became even more pronounced.

Ai chuckled. "I doubt that's the problem."

Neji gazed at the young mother. "I still don't understand why we were ordered to guard your daughter."

"You'll probably find out part of the reason soon enough," Ai replied. "But it was mostly to keep you near by yet away from the debriefing."

Tenten put her hand on her hip. "Are we going to rehash the debriefing of our mission in the Land of Waves again? The last time had been such a pain. Whatever secret you and Jiro kept from us must have been important because the Anbu certainly made sure we didn't know anything about it."

"It's not just one secret, and you better believe they're important," Ai retorted.

* * *

Ai was rather surprised that the debriefing room was still intact when she returned. However, the unnatural silence was almost deafening. Glares were being cast in various directions, and not everyone was looking in anger at just one person. Kakashi was the only one not involved in the group staring contest, though he seemed to be trying to blend into the wall.

"What did you tell them?" Ai asked her mission partner.

"That I was kind of drunk one night and well...," Jiro trailed off.

Ai reached across the table and smacked the top of his head. "Moron! You were not fucking drunk! And how many times do I have to tell you that you didn't rape me? I let you have sex with me! Sure, you had a little to drink, but not nearly as much as you did that one time in Tsuji!"

"He got drunk before then?" Sakura growled out.

"The day after we fought and killed those rain-nin we had a little extra money, and well, spent most of it at a bar." Ai folded her arms. "I won two drinking contests before I dropped. Jiro didn't even have half as much and he couldn't take a piss without my help."

"How often does Jiro drink?" Sakura almost snarled.

"Only when something REALLY bothers him. Since the mission started he drank..." Ai tapped her chin in thought. "Maybe five or six times."

"Are you sure?" Sakura pressed.

"For eighteen months I was practically forced to live joined to his hip. He took guarding me seriously, especially after I taught him Kage Bunshin. He would always be near enough to me that he could hear me yell, even when I was taking a shit," Ai groused. "We've trained, worked and slept together damn near every second of the mission. If I don't know Jiro, no one does."

"Did Jiro force you?" Sakura persisted.

"Look at me, Sakura. Remember who the hell I am. If I didn't want Jiro to touch me, would he really be able to do it?" Ai shot back.

"He has the Sharigan," Sakura pointed out.

"Is the Land of Waves still there?" Ai retorted.

Sakura blinked. "Yes, but what does that have to do with it?"

"Had I been somehow overpowered, then what would stop the Kyuubi from getting out? The stronger my hatred and anger, the easier it is for him to get loose. And trust me, when a girl is violated, they do feel anger, even if they're also scared and helpless." Ai folded her arms. "I personally knew six girls like that."

"Then how in the hell do you have a baby?" Sakura demanded.

Ai roughly plopped into her seat. "It began on December twenty-seventh..."

* * *

Eyeing her partner suspiciously, Ai was wondering what his problem was today. He had looked at her strangely for most of the day, but as the day wore on, the grumpier he got. She was beginning to think Jiro had switched back to Hinata and was about to have a period. Especially as every time she asked him what was bothering him, he wouldn't answer her. If the boy didn't tell her what the problem was by tomorrow, she'd beat it out of him.

Ai went into the small wash room to change as she normally would, but when she exited the room she found Jiro laying a blanket and pillow down on the small couch. "Why are you going to sleep there?"

"There's no reason for us to share," Jiro retorted bitterly.

"Besides the fact that there's no way to get comfortable on that thing," Ai shot back. "You've been a royal pain all day."

"Perhaps I should see Tazuna about getting another shack so I won't have to bother you so much." Jiro moved toward the door.

Ai grabbed the boy by his arm. "What the fuck has gotten into you? Why are you so upset? I don't remember doing anything to piss you off. Did something happen to one of your copies?"

"It's not what you did, it's what you didn't do," Jiro growled out. "It's rather obvious you want nothing to do with me."

Ai tightened the grip on his arm. "Where the hell did you get that idea?"

"If you cared you would have at least wished me a 'happy birthday,'" Jiro snarled.

Ai stared at him with wide eyes. "It's... your birthday? I... I didn't know."

"You don't remember the chart at school listing our birthdays? The cake that was brought in on my twelfth birthday at the academy?" Jiro asked harshly. "When I was a little girl, my birthday was practically treated as a holiday. It seemed half of Konoha would show up for my birthday party. But each year the celebration became less and less. Last year all I got was a few people wishing me a 'happy birthday' and a handful of presents. And this year, nothing. Not even from you."

"Oh, come on. I was Naruto back then. If it wasn't ninjutsu or a prank, I wouldn't remember it," Ai defended.

Jiro tried to free his arm, but had to settle for turning away from the girl. "Or if it involved Sakura-san. I bet you can't wait to turn back into a guy and see her again."

"The only girl I'm interested in seeing when we get back to normal now is Hinata," Ai retorted.

"Don't lie to me!" Jiro wheeled around and punched Ai in the face. "You don't care about me. Even if you had forgotten what day it was, you could've asked me. I went out of my way for your birthday, and then you ignore mine!"

Ai glared at the boy while rubbing her cheek. "Yeah, you're right. I should have asked you. But you know how focused I am. When I have a goal, I do everything I can to achieve it, forgetting everything else. Last year I forgot about my own birthday. Not that anyone had celebrated it before."

"So you really don't care about me," Jiro observed.

"I didn't care about birthdays! Until I became a ninja, it was just another lonely day that made me wonder why I was even born." Ai folded her arms and looked away from him to cover her blush. "And I honestly do care for you."

"Why should I believe you when you can't even say that to my face?" Jiro shot back.

Ai whirled around and stared straight into the boy's eyes. "Jiro, I really like you. Happy? I just admitted I have feelings for a guy."

"You're still lying," Jiro hissed.

"I am not!" Ai returned heatedly.

"I'll prove that you don't." Jiro grabbed the girl by her nightshirt and began to kiss her roughly. He wasn't pushed away. His hands began to touch her body. She didn't stop him. He ripped off her clothes. And she did the same to him.

* * *

Ai pulled away from the bed and shambled over to the wash room and gazed at the mirror in it. Looking at the reflection, the image shown was no longer a stranger's. When the change first happened, Ai avoided looking into a mirror, not recognizing the face that stared back. There had been a long battle against becoming a girl, whenever possible ignoring the obvious changes. Periods had been a bitch to deal with, but grim determination and unwillingness to quit pushed Ai through those hard days. The idea of being with anyone romantically in this body had never been a thought until Mokkou had professed love. That Hinata had loved Naruto and still held that love as Jiro did not help matters in trying to ignore the instinctual reactions the body held. Accepting a different date for a birthday had now proven to be a mistake. Ai had fought to remain Naruto even in this body. This face had remained being a stranger's until now.

Tears leaked from the girl's eyes as she flopped to the ground. She wasn't Naruto hiding in a girl's body anymore. She had done something willingly that Naruto would never do. Only the stains from sweat covered her otherwise bare flesh.

Ai glanced out of the wash room and saw the equally naked man sound asleep. To her, that was Jiro, not Hinata. The Hyuuga girl was shy and meek. Few people knew anything about her. Ai certainly had known nothing, not even her birthday. Jiro, on the other hand, was still shy, but had a level of confidence Hinata never carried. Ai could never think of him as being meek. As much as Ai was no longer Naruto, Jiro had stopped being Hinata.

Now here they were, after having pretended to be husband and wife for over a half-year, no longer faking it. They had sex. He had been inside her in a way that should have made her feel ill, yet it hadn't. The idea of him touching her should've made her upset or scared, but she looked forward to it. Having originally been born a boy, she should have never want to touch a guy as she had done that night, and yet she had enjoyed doing that.

Naruto had never accepted defeat before. He didn't quit trying to become a ninja even though he held the lowest scores in his class. Despite Sakura's rejections, he never gave up hope that she would come to love him. He still believed he could find Sasuke and bring him back.

But now Naruto had lost. Sakura no longer mattered to her and Sasuke was still out there with Orochimaru. There was no turning back now. The boy no longer existed, and now there was only Ai.

* * *

Jiro couldn't look the girl in the eyes as she prepared breakfast. What he had done was unforgivable. He had touched her in ways that she couldn't possibly have wanted. He wasn't sure if he had wanted to have gone that far in this body. As Hinata, he wouldn't have stopped Naruto, but these weren't the bodies of their birth.

"I'm sorry," Jiro suddenly blurted out.

"I'm the one who should be sorry about your birthday," Ai retorted.

"That's no reason for me to have raped you," Jiro squeaked out.

Ai smacked him with a skillet. "You didn't rape me."

"You couldn't have possibly wanted to do THAT last night," Jiro returned.

"I did and I didn't." Ai huffed. "I'm sure you're feeling much the same. You wanted to wait until after the mission, right? Well, so did I. But I DID take your clothes off."

Jiro didn't remember how his pants came off, but he still assumed he had removed them. "I forced you."

Ai poked Jiro's forehead, making him look at her. "Let's not get into another argument. We're partners in this. We've shared just about everything, including these borrowed bodies."

Jiro bowed his head. "How can you forgive me?"

Ai stomped over to the stove and turned it off. She then pounced on top of Jiro, pinning him to the floor. "You made me prove that I like you, now I'm going to do the same to prove you didn't force anything." She began to kiss him hard on the lips. She then pulled away and got a devilish look. "Why don't we have some real fun with this? Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Two more copies of Ai appeared to make Jiro one lucky bastard.

* * *

Hiashi looked like a dead fish with his mouth agape and completely blank stare. His mind unable to take what he had just been told.

Sakura's face was an extremely deep shade of red as she reached over and grabbed the young mother's hand. "You really do love Jiro, don't you? To let him be with you. To have his child."

Ai nodded shallowly. "I know we haven't gone through any ceremony, but to me Jiro is my husband."

"And this is why there's such an issue with you changing back to Naruto and Hinata. You've got a baby to care for, and you can't nurse her as Naruto," Sakura tried to rationalize.

"Well, that and after eighteen months of being in this body, turning into Naruto feels like he's the stranger now. When I look in the mirror, I recognize this face as being my own, not Naruto's," Ai added.

Hiashi slowly shook his head clear. "Will there be a time I can welcome home my eldest daughter and her husband, or am I going to be an uncle to you from now on?"

Jiro didn't immediately respond. "I don't know what to say. It's hard to explain the changes. I like the confidence this body gives me. I don't feel the need to hide like I did when I was Hinata." He looked away from the man. "The only reason I would change back to Hinata would be if Ai decides to return to being Naruto."

Ai could feel Hiashi's eyes move toward her. "I don't even see myself as a guy anymore. There's no reason for me to change back, and more reason to stay the way I am. When I walked through Konoha this morning, no one suddenly stopped talking, no one tried to push their children away from me, and no one muttered a negative word about me. In fact people moved to see me and my baby. I didn't make them frown, I made them smile."

"That is only a false security. In time people will learn who you are, and those looks will return with interest as they will not understand your relationship with Jiro," Hiashi warned.

"And how would they learn? It's not like I'm going to advertise that I used to be Naruto. And the only people likely to figure it out would be my fellow ninja. And if they can't keep a secret, no one can," Ai returned.

"Excuse me." Hiashi stood up. "I need a moment to myself."

"Hyuuga, this debriefing is to be considered top secret. That includes Ai's real identity," Tsunade warned.

Hiashi did not give her any reply as he left the room.

* * *

Wandering the hospital while lost in thought, Hiashi found himself at the nursery. He didn't need the presence of Neji and his teammates to tell him the baby girl with raven black hair was Jiro and Ai's daughter. He could see Ai's nose and Jiro's cheekbones on the infant, but there was nothing that said the girl had any relation to the Hyuuga clan.

"Hyuuga-san, what brings you here?" Neji asked nervously.

"I have my reasons." Hiashi could guess Tsunade ordered his nephew to guard the baby, which effectively would garner more attention to the infant and her parents and may ultimately increase the danger in the long run.

"Ano... Did Jiraiya-sama bring you some news about Hinata-chan?" Tenten wondered.

"In a sense," Hiashi replied.

Tenten did not miss how intently and fondly he was looking at the infant. "Is Hinata-chan... well..."

Neji stared at the girl in shock, but then he slowly turned back toward his clan head.

Hiashi stood there unable to say anything in response.

"Hinata is the father, isn't she... er, he?" Rock Lee asked.

"This is the first time you said a damn thing since we saw Ai here, and you say something so stupid!" Tenten hissed out, not wanting to yell and wake the baby.

Hiashi took one last look at the baby, before turning away stiffly. "I have no relation to that child."

* * *

"Do we really have to continue this crap now that you know that I like having sex with Jiro and that I'm a mother?" Ai groused.

"You know that's not the only point to this debriefing. If Sakura or Kakashi wish to leave, they may do so, but I still need to know about the events that happened this year," Tsunade retorted.

"Why leave now? This is the most interesting debriefing I've ever been too," Kakashi commented with a smiling eye.

"I want to know more as well," Sakura added.

Ai folded her arms. "Fine. Do we include Rock Lee and the others on this now? The next event is the one they were involved in."

Tsunade thought it over for a minute. "We'll call them in if I feel the need to clarify something. I'd rather keep those in the know to a minimum."

"Well, you could include Rock Lee," Ai offered.

"Why him?" Sakura wondered.

"He figured out who I am. Course I denied it, but I gave him too many hints by calling him 'Fuzzy-Eyebrows' and that he's a Taijutsu master who has seen me fight in both my bodies," Ai explained.

"So that's why he was twitching when he saw your daughter," Tsunade muttered. "That certainly does bring up issues of keeping your identity a secret. Jiro's fighting style is different now, but yours has remained mostly the same and any jounin who saw Naruto fight could potentially figure it out."

"Neji hasn't, but that might have to do with denial." Ai grinned. "After all, if I'm Naruto, then Jiro is Hinata, and that would be hard for him to swallow."

"Why don't we take a break to get something to eat, then get back to the debriefing," Jiraiya suggested.

Tsunade was about to shoot down the idea, but her stomach growled hungrily at the suggestion of food. "Meet back here in an hour."

* * *

Hiashi arrived home and saw Hanabi practicing vigorously but with little control. He wanted to smile at her, but couldn't find it in himself to give her false praise. The young girl was diligent in the ways of the ninja, and certainly wasn't shy like Hinata had been, but his daughter still had flaws.

Hanabi was in the middle of her class, much as Hinata had been. But where the older daughter had been well rounded in her grades, Hanabi excelled in some areas, like Taijutsu, but scored horrible in others, like mathematics. Hinata avoided taking risks unless she needed to in order to achieve a goal, Hanabi took needless risks where failure far exceeded the reward of succeeding. Hinata avoided confrontation, Hanabi practically sought them out. Hinata nearly died fighting to prove herself, Hanabi broke an arm and a leg trying to find a short cut in her training. Hinata never wanted to be heir to the Hyuuga clan, Hanabi seemed to believe that she was entitled to that rank even though she did not earn it.

"Is something bothering you, Father?" Hanabi asked.

"I could ask you the same thing. Why have you lost focus?" Hiashi asked, barely able to keep himself from adding 'again.'

Hanabi looked away. "The academy got two new students today from some backwater town. One of them was initially tested to be in my class."

"I take it you fought the person and lost," Hiashi commented firmly.

"No. Takashi-kun fought her," Hanabi muttered out. "And he didn't stand a chance."

Hiashi frowned. Takashi was increasingly part of Hanabi's words. The boy was the top student of his daughter's class, and was someone she wanted to surpass in skill. But Hiashi was beginning to think that wasn't the only reason why the boy was on his daughter's mind so often. Children grew up too fast, he decided. With the thought of Jiro and the pseudo-granddaughter at the hospital, much too fast, Hiashi mentally added.

"How in the hell does some nobody girl from the middle of nowhere know jounin level skills?" Hanabi demanded. "Keiko is going to graduate this year! I've been in those boring classes for years. Being made to learn pointless crap like flower arranging, and here comes some hick who's better than us. It's not fair!"

"I have heard about Keiko and Inari already," Hiashi informed his daughter. "They were trained by two Konoha ninja stuck on a long mission. While they may be strong fighters, their skills aren't as well rounded as they will need to be."

Hanabi growled and attacked the wooden post in front of her with anger, causing her hits to be sloppy.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Coming Soon:  
Chapter 11 - Mission in Doubt Team Gai arrives in the Land of Waves, but find things aren't as they appear.

This is _NOT_ the end of discussion concerning whether or not Ai and Jiro will be returning to being Naruto and Hinata. While they have a lot of reasons to stay Ai and Jiro, namely their daughter, there are also reasons why they should change back. The end of the debriefing will mark a rough 'half-way' point of the series. I will not answer what the final decision will be as I do not want to spoil the story.

Yes, Ai is the full biological mother of Jiro's baby. And no, I will not be making any detailed scenes leading to the conception of the baby.

There are reasons for mentioning Yamiko's pregnancy. First and foremost: Ai and Naruto never take back their words. More will be explained in the coming chapters.


	11. Mission in Doubt

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 11 - Mission in Doubt**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

Sakura peered into the nursery mostly out of morbid curiosity. She saw Jiro playing with the baby while Ai was sleeping in a nearby chair. Neji and Tenten were standing guard, but their slightly confused expressions showed they still didn't know why. Rock Lee was twitching as he watched the family with a rather disturbed look.

"I don't suppose you can tell me what the deal is with Ai-chan's family?" Tenten wondered.

Sakura gave the other girl a look that said 'Are you stupid?' "And piss off Tsunade-sensei?"

Tenten let out slight chuckle. "Yeah, that wouldn't be healthy. Will we get to know why?"

"That wouldn't be for me to decide," Sakura answered. "What's the baby's name?"

"Shinobu-chan." Tenten sighed wistfully. "Isn't she cute?"

Sakura nodded. The baby girl was certainly cute, giggling happily with smiling brown eyes and shimmering black hair. Yet how the infant came into the world was testing her sanity. She shook her head and then announced, "The debriefing is about to start."

Jiro carefully put his daughter back into the hospital crib. The baby let out a cry and reached out for her father.

Ai roared out a yawn as she woke up to the sound. She walked over and touched the baby's lips with her finger. "Shhh... We'll be back. Mother promises."

The baby girl only cried louder as a response.

Tenten approached the crib and tickled the infant's stomach. "Don't worry Shinobu-chan, big sister Tenten will take care of you. Oh, yes she will."

Ai retreated with her husband. She smirked towards Neji. "Good luck. You're going to need it."

Neji pulled at his collar.

Sakura raised an eyebrow at the comment, but then shrugged. "Tsunade-sensei wants one of you to help cover any details Ai and Jiro might miss," she informed Neji's team.

"Oh, no! Not again! I had enough debriefing of that mission already!" Tenten whined, but then had to go back to playing with Shinobu.

"We'll take Fuzzy Eyebrows," Ai muttered out sluggishly. "You just keep an eye on Shinobu."

"Why him?" Neji wondered.

Ai shrugged. "He apparently has some weird ideas, and we'll set him straight."

"Good. He needs it. He said something really weird to Neji's uncle," Tenten mentioned.

Ai laughed and began dragging Rock Lee away from the nursery by his arm.

"Na-," Rock Lee didn't get a second syllable before Ai stomped on his foot.

"Just shut up until we get to the debriefing room," the young mother hissed out.

Rock Lee nodded and let the girl drag him all the way to their destination. He was not surprised to see Jiraiya and Kakashi were in the room. When the door shut, he turned toward the girl still gripping his arm. "What the hell is going on, Naruto?"

"First off, my name is Ai now," the girl shot at him. "You can't call me Naruto because I'm not him anymore."

Rock Lee blinked. "But you ARE Naruto, aren't you?"

"I _WAS_, but I'm not him _now_," Ai stressed.

Tsunade cleared her voice. "For reasons that are top secret, Naruto had been targeted for death by a rouge ninja group called Akatsuki. As he had run into them before, they knew how to track him. To protect him, I used a forbidden jutsu to change Naruto's body. There were two scrolls sent, and he randomly choose between them."

Rock Lee nodded with a blank look on his face. "I had figured something like that. But that means Jiro is Hinata, right?"

"I was her, but as Ai told you, I'm Jiro now, not Hinata," the young father stated evenly.

"But what about the baby?" Rock Lee questioned.

"Shinobu IS my daughter," Ai told him firmly. "I rode Jiro like a horse, he planted his seed, and nearly ten months of hell later, I had Shinobu."

Rock Lee began twitching again. "That's... very disturbing."

"That's an understatement," Sakura muttered.

Jiro's face was deep red as he opened his mouth to say something, but remained silent.

"Almost ten months?" Rock Lee questioned. "But Shinobu-chan is six weeks old. That would mean..."

"I was already pregnant when you came to the Land of Waves in late January, yes," Ai confirmed. "I just didn't know that until after you left."

* * *

There were reasons why Ai worked at the ramen shop at the end of the bridge and Jiro worked at the docks beyond needing the money to live on. From those two places they could watch those entering the Land of Waves and would be the first to know if the Akatsuki came to pay them a visit.

The cold January weather was threatening snow, but Ai's mind was on how Jiro would be keeping her warm that night. It was amazing how much she had changed since this mission had started. When she first took this body, it hadn't disturbed her because she had used Sexy no Jutsu to turn into a good looking girl before. As Naruto had no ability with Genjutsu, she really had turned into a girl back then. It was being attracted to guys that had upset her, but she had gotten used to those feelings. Probably a bit too well. Now if only she could get Jiro to be the aggressor like he had been their first night, as she had been the one to initiate all the other encounters they've had.

Ai snapped out of her thoughts when her boss, Yamamoto, called her attention to a group of people crossing the bridge. Being the first restaurant after many hours of travel, most people who arrived in the Land of Waves from the bridge often stopped there.

Ai looked at the group in surprise. Two of them were dress in matching green outfits and the exact same bowl haircut, while the other two wore extremely similar white clothes. The ones in green were often mistaken as being father and son, but she knew that those two weren't related at all. Gai was the jounin leader of the group and Rock Lee was merely the prized pupil. The lone girl of the group, Tenten, seemed to have selected both Neji's and her own attire.

Without any signal or debate, the group turned straight for the ramen shop, causing Ai to put on a false smile. She tried to think of how to best talk to them without revealing that she knew who they were. Ai failed to account for her boss.

"What brings Konoha ninja to the Land of Waves? Are you passing through or are you here to see Ai-chan and her husband?" Yamamoto asked.

"Ai-chan?" Tenten wondered in confusion.

The purple haired girl seemed to trip, but kept herself from falling. Her face was flushed when she slapped the back of her boss's head. "Yamamoto! You can't say things like that!"

"Oops." Yamamoto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess I mentioned something I shouldn't have."

Ai folded her arms. "Damn straight you did!"

Gai gazed intently at the girl. "You do seem familiar... but I can't remember from where."

"Guess they aren't here to see you," Yamamoto chuckled.

"Stop talking and take their orders already!" Ai snapped at him.

"Why would he think we should know you?" Neji asked seriously.

"They don't know..." Yamamoto trailed off as the girl glared death at him.

Ai turned her attention to Team Gai. "I'm a genin from Konoha. I can't go into details concerning why, but my boyfriend and I were assigned to help keep the peace on the island."

Gai looked confused. "Konoha avoids giving out missions like that. Too many end in marriage."

"Well, if Jiro wasn't already milking the cow...," Yamamoto joked.

"Are you asking for an early grave?" Ai shot at her boss.

"That still doesn't make sense," Gai muttered.

Ai folded her arms irritably. "Look, I know you're a jounin and all, but I'm not allowed to explain anything to you. I can, however, offer you some help while you're in the Land of Waves. If you want proof of my identity, I can show you that later."

Tenten's stomach chose to growl loudly. "Let's talk mission later. I want some food now."

* * *

"Can we trust those two?" Neji wondered.

"They do own Konoha headbands and they do have papers ordering them on this mission signed by Tsunade-sama, herself," Tenten pointed out.

"And how hard would it be to forge them?" Neji retorted.

"How can you not trust them after asking them stuff only someone from Konoha would know?" Rock Lee returned.

"We don't know how far the kidnappers would go to hide Yashida. Those two might be working for them to keep us away from her. They could even be spies planted by the Hidden Mist Village, considering how close we are to their territory," Neji explained his apprehension.

"Ai and Jiro may be what we need to succeed in the mission. They know the island and the people in it," Tenten retorted.

"While it is good to be cautious, we are still on lands protected by Konoha and they are obviously hot blooded youth of Konoha!" Gai cheered out.

"Perhaps too 'hot blooded.' I think I remember seeing Ai back when we were at the academy. Jiro looks rather like he's an Uchiha. I bet the entire reason why those two were sent here was to keep him safe and make sure he has kids with an approved ninja," Tenten commented.

"Interesting theory, only there's no facts to support it," Neji retorted. "All I'm saying is that we don't tell them everything. Keep it to the basics of the mission."

* * *

"So, you've been on a wild goose chase trying to find a kidnapped noble?" Ai asked them. "And why was there a debate on telling us that?"

"Obviously there's more to the mission than that," Jiro observed.

"Indeed there is. The kidnappers tried to erase her existence. Every picture and almost every written document of Yashida Kimiko has been destroyed. Accepting the mission was delayed because Konoha wasn't sure she ever existed," Gai informed.

"What group of ninja tried to remove any reference of her?" Jiro asked.

"You will know if you run into them," Neji said firmly.

"Always a stick up your ass," Ai muttered in a low voice that Neji didn't hear, but the quirk of Rock Lee's eyebrow showed that he did.

"So what do we know about this girl?" Jiro wondered.

"She's seventeen years old, black hair, and has been missing for a year," Tenten informed.

"Oh, wow. That's like, what? Two hundred possible candidates if she went through the Land of Waves. Hell, I can think of more than a dozen girls in the town right now who match that," Ai groused.

"Isn't there any mark or something that can help narrow it down? Eye color?" Jiro pressed.

"Her father said she had gray eyes, her mother said brown, which was part of the reason of the delay. If they couldn't agree on what she looked like, it raised more questions of her existence," Tenten added.

"Birthmark high on her inner thigh," Rock Lee mentioned.

"And how many times have I told you not to mention that?" Tenten chastised with a blush.

"Ai might've seen that at public baths or something," Rock Lee defended weakly.

"Afraid not. I don't use public baths," Ai told them. She then had a thought of asking a certain pervert, but stomped that idea down. That was certainly a last resort to endorse Jiraiya to spy on bathing girls.

"But it does give us something to go on at least," Jiro commented. "Is there any reason to believe she might be in the Land of Waves?"

"Our last solid clue referenced the ship she had been put on being lost in this area," Neji informed. "Unfortunately, we do not know the ship's name. The kidnappers were careful to cover their tracks."

* * *

The following morning Ai and Jiro woke up to the sound of Neji screaming. They rushed to put on some clothes and ran to the nearby shack that Team Gai had stayed in for the night. Entering through a hole in the wall, they found Tenten laughing hysterically, Neji was hyperventilating, while Rock Lee and Gai were nursing injuries.

"What happened?" Ai wondered.

Tenten tried to reign in her laughter. "This swiss cheese shack offered no protection from the cold. Neji and I cuddled to keep warm as we fell asleep. Apparently Gai-sensei and Rock Lee decided to join us."

Jiro's mouth hung open as he stared at Neji, not believing he would cuddle with anyone, even a girl.

"Well, we're all up now," Ai snorted, trying to keep from laughing. "What's the plans?"

"Rock Lee and I will go to the docks and find out about any lost ships in the area, Neji and Tenten will see if she is living on the island," Gai informed.

"Then Jiro should go with you, as he works on the docks," Ai mentioned. "I'll ask around about recent additions to the Land of Waves who could be the girl you're looking for." She then glanced at the holes in the walls and ceiling. "And ask Tazuna about getting some guys to fix this place up for you."

"That would be appreciated," Neji muttered, glaring at the guys on his team.

Ai laughed and back flipped through one of the shack's holes. She then spotted Yamiko hunched over and throwing up into a ditch. "Are you okay?"

Yamiko brushed her long black hair back. "I'm fine. It's just this damn pregnancy." She stood up and towered in height over Ai.

Ai frowned. "If you say so." She gazed at the woman, and guessed her age to be around twenty. Too old to be the girl that team Gai was looking for, but three of the other former sex slaves did match. Not to mention one of the girls who left could've been her. As the woman turned to walk away, Ai asked, "Say, you wouldn't have happened to see a girl with a birthmark on her upper thigh?"

"I don't look for such things," Yamiko replied before entering her home.

* * *

"Ai-chan?" Tenten called out irritably.

The teenage girl turned around, but Inari and Keiko didn't stop sparring.

"Something wrong, Tenten?" Ai wondered.

"Didn't you say you were going to get us a list of teenage girls who arrived in the Land of Waves in the past year?" Tenten questioned harshly.

"By the time Inari is done training, his grandfather will have the list ready. Tazuna is one of the leaders of the town, and anything built to last was designed by him," Ai informed.

"And just why are you training two local kids to be ninja?" Tenten asked sternly.

Ai folded her arms. "Inari wants to be one, and Keiko needs to know how to defend herself. I do have the okay to train them, even though it's not actually needed."

"Excuse me?" Keiko called out.

Ai turned around and saw that her students had stopped sparring and were now looking at Tenten curiously. "What is it, kiddo?"

"Is there some sort of problem?" Keiko wondered.

"Not really. Tenten and her teammates are looking for a missing girl, but they don't have a lot to go on," Ai explained.

"Is there some way we could help?" Inari asked.

Tenten put her hand on her hip. "And what kind of help do you think you could offer? What would you do in the face of an enemy ninja?"

"Do everything in our power to run away and find Ai or Jiro," Keiko answered.

Inari frowned. "Yeah. We're not ready for a real opponent yet."

Tenten smirked. "Well, that's good to hear."

"As for what they can do, Inari has lived on the island his entire life. He knows his way around and the people of the Land of Waves better than most the adults. And while Keiko may be new to the island, she can hide with the best ninja," Ai boasted the children's talents.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Ai grumbled before sinking into a heated spring and was pointedly not looking at the naked girl next to her.

"Is there some reason you don't like going to public baths?" Tenten asked, moving in front of the girl to talk to her directly.

Ai laughed sheepishly, but kept her head turned away. "Let's just say that if my first love found out I was here, SHE would beat the shit out of me."

Tenten blinked in surprise and moved to cover herself. "You like... girls?"

Ai shrugged. "Guess you could say that. But those interests were before Jiro. Seeing girls naked now doesn't do much anymore."

Tenten relaxed a little, but still made sure her nakedness was concealed from the girl. "So you grew out of it, huh? What would your first love have to say about it?"

"Throw a party," Ai joked. "It was entirely one-sided."

Tenten stretched her tired muscles. "I can sympathize a bit. When I first became a genin, I spent as much time looking at guys as I did training. Now with Neji, I don't have to go looking."

Ai smirked. "Bet you still take some peeks."

"Well, a girl has to be a girl." Tenten smirked. "But I seriously doubt any normal guy could satisfy me. He'd have to be a ninja. And Neji certainly takes care of my needs."

Ai glanced at the girl suspiciously. "You don't mean the sort of 'needs' that Jiro helps me with at night, do you?"

Tenten grinned. "You'd be surprised what he can do with his bloodline limit in the bedroom."

"Have you tried it while transformed into the other gender?" Ai asked curiously.

Tenten stared at the girl. "Ah... no. You mean you and Jiro... switched?"

"Yep. Did that a few days after we became lovers. We had more reasons than just being kinky, but it felt kind of too weird. Like something was missing." Ai shrugged. "Still it was an experience."

"I seriously doubt Neji would go for being a girl," Tenten laughed.

"He should try it some time. Even lesbian sex can be fun," Ai pointed out devilishly.

Tenten edged away from her. "I thought you said you weren't into girls anymore."

"Only if the girl is Jiro," Ai replied firmly. "Now what sort of tricks do you and Neji use? I might want to try them out."

* * *

"You're teaching them how to climb trees?" Neji asked skeptically.

Jiro stiffened hearing his voice. "Well, I was trying to figure out how to get them to best learn chakra control, and this seemed to be the fastest way."

Neji folded his arms. "While that certainly teaches control, but how much chakra manipulation have they learned? Have you tried teaching them basic Genjutsu or Ninjutsu?"

"I tried, but they don't have the control needed to even do them. It'd be different if we had years to slowly train them, but with their age, a more expedient route is needed," Jiro explained.

Neji frowned as Inari would run up three meters before falling ungracefully to the ground while Keiko reached four meters and landed on the ground like a cat. "You two, take a break from that," Neji ordered.

Inari and Keiko looked at him strangely.

"You aren't using your chakra correctly." Neji folded his arms. "I believe the issue is that you don't understand what it is. Chakra is the energy of life. A ninja can hone his energy to produce great effects, adapting it to suit his needs. The trees also have chakra, for they are alive. They use it to protect themselves, to repel unwanted intruders. Your chakra is most certainly unwanted as it interferes with its life."

"So we shouldn't be fighting the tree when trying to climb it, but try to work with the tree so it won't reject us," Inari surmised.

Neji smirked. "Indeed."

"Chakra is part of us?" Keiko wondered. "What happens if we use up too much?"

"You can deplete yourself of chakra, which would make you feel extremely weak. Where lifting your arms feels like there are lead weights attached. There is little risk in dying from that," Jiro told them. "What you have to avoid is pushing yourself beyond that point."

"What happens if we go beyond that?" Keiko asked worriedly.

"Whatever you were attempting would likely fail and you could die," Neji said flatly.

Jiro frowned. "It's nothing you should worry about. We train to learn our limits so we know what lines to never cross unless we absolutely need to."

"Like to save Ai's life?" Keiko questioned.

Jiro blushed as he nodded. "Yes. I would go that far to save Ai."

Inari pointed at the girl next to him. "Don't you dare push yourself that far for me! I'd rather die!"

Keiko turned and poked the boy in the chest. "Then you better not do that for me, either!"

"It's my duty to protect you!" Inari shot back at her.

"Then my duty would be to protect you!" Keiko returned.

Inari growled. "I don't want you to do that!"

"The same goes for me!" Keiko hissed.

The two kids rushed and tried to climb the tree, but Neji's words were lost on them in their haze of anger and hurt.

"What's wrong with those two?" Neji asked quietly.

Jiro gave a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"I've had that argument with Tenten. They seem awfully young to have a serious relationship," Neji observed.

Jiro sighed. "They both had a troubled past. Their innocence has been brutally taken by others, though in different ways. They both need each other to get through their pain. Inari watched someone he viewed as his father tortured and then murdered. And Keiko... was a sex slave."

Neji's clenched his fist. "What happened to her slave masters?"

"Most of them are dead, the rest are in prison with the key to their cell destroyed," Jiro replied.

"Good." Neji sighed. "There are too many kids out there like them. I can certainly relate to having my eyes opened by pain, particularly Inari's. But why would they use a girl her age for sex?"

"Some people have weird fetishes. Ai certainly has some," Jiro tried to joke, to get rid of the heavy air of the conversation.

Neji let out a short chuckle. "Tell me about it. Tenten can get some really weird ideas."

Jiro's mind froze at the apparent admission that the no-nonsense boy he had grown up with was the lover of a rather excitable girl. He then shook his head. If Neji was to learn that he was Hinata and that Ai was Naruto, the shock to his former cousin could be fatal.

* * *

Team Gai, Ai, Jiro, Inari and Keiko sat in a circle on the field the youngest two typically trained.

"So, what do we have so far?" Gai questioned.

Rock Lee's hand shot straight up. "Three sunken ships in the last year. The sailors believe they know where one of them may be."

"Good, we can rent a ship and investigate that wreck tomorrow," Gai replied. "How is searching in the town fairing?"

"I have not seen anyone being restrained outside of the men in the town's prison," Neji informed.

"We've narrowed down the number of girls that have a strong potential to be Yashida to six, with another nine not as likely but could still be her. The ones we've ruled out don't have the needed birthmark," Tenten added, passing the list toward Gai.

Keiko grabbed the list to pass it, but she quickly looked it over. "You're looking for a mark on the inner thigh?"

Tenten reluctantly nodded.

"Michiro and Tomoyo don't have any mark there," Keiko told them.

"Are you sure?" Neji asked firmly.

Keiko blushed and turned away. "Very sure."

Ai was thankful to note that Inari seemed to be confused at the girl's reaction. She could guess that the young girl had been made to have sex with the older girls to satisfy some old fart's twisted pleasure. And if Inari didn't figure that out, chances were that Inari had yet to personally find out exactly what the girl had been used for.

* * *

Team Gai took Ai and Jiro onto a short sailing trip. They were on deck talking to the ship captain.

"So this is where a ship sank six months ago?" Neji asked.

"How far down is the ship?" Gai asked.

"Hard to say," commented the captain. "The seas were very rough at the time."

"Byakugan!" Neji called out.

"Do you see the ship?" Tenten asked.

The captain looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"The water makes it difficult..." Neji's face clenched tightly, but then relaxed slightly. "It's a half kilometer that way, about seventy meters down."

"Captain, if you would be so kind as to take us that way," Gai requested.

"If you say so, but I don't get why ya listen to some kid saying something he can't know," the captain complained before signaling the helmsman to change their course.

"It's a special ninja skill, Captain," Ai explained. "Don't try to figure us out, or it'll hurt your head."

The captain laughed. "I've stopped trying to figure out you and your husband."

"Why does everyone think we're married?" Ai groused.

"You're not? Need me to fix that?" the captain returned.

"I'll get back to you on that," Ai failed to promise.

"The water is dampening my eyes. I can't see inside the ship," Neji told them.

"You wouldn't happen to know any water jutsu?" Gai asked.

"Afraid not," Jiro answered.

"I'm air," Ai grinned. She then grabbed Neji and jumped overboard. As they hit the water, a swirling mass of air encased them as they plunged into the water as if they were inside a bubble.

"Neat trick," Gai commented.

Underwater, Neji had a different opinion. "Couldn't you have warned me?"

"You needed to get closer, so I got you closer," Ai retorted. "Don't bug me as I've only started to learn elemental jutsu."

Neji growled and focused on using his bloodline limit. The sooner he checked the ship over completely, the happier he would be. After a few minutes, he started to feel strangely light headed, but his task was complete. "Let's go back to the surface."

"Take a deep breath, because we're swimming back. Ready? Go!" With no more warning, the ball of spinning air broke apart and Ai was swimming straight for the surface.

Neji scowled darkly as he chased after the girl. His lungs were burning when he made it above the water and gasped out for fresh air.

Walking on the side of the ship like it was the ground, Jiro and Team Gai helped the two water logged ninja back onto the deck.

"So what's the verdict?" Tenten wondered.

"The only skeletons I saw were on top of or near the wreck. There were no bodies inside the ship itself," Neji informed them.

"So there was little chance that she was being held on that ship." Gai rubbed his chin in thought. "Well, that was a good effort, and should be what we were hoping for. It means she may still be alive somewhere."

"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Rock Lee immediately agreed.

Jiro and Ai looked at each other and smirked. Some things never changed.

* * *

Arriving at the dock, the ninja saw the official law enforcement of the Land of Waves waiting for them.

"Is there something wrong, officer?" Gai asked.

The lead officer, Gotoh, stepped forward. "There's been a murder inside the jail."

"That sucks. Who died?" Ai asked.

"I need to ask you all questions regarding it as the only possible suspects for the murder are fully trained ninja," Gotoh told them firmly.

"I would like to see the crime scene immediately," Gai ordered.

"Looks like our old friends may be back," Tenten complained sarcastically.

Rock Lee slammed his right fist into his left palm. "We'll be sure to teach them a new lesson about messing with the Country of Fire."

Gotoh glared. "In case you haven't realized it, YOU are the main suspects."

"Do not insult me or the ninja of Konoha!" Gai yelled out. "We do not resort to cowardly acts of torture and murder!"

"And what do you call the Anbu?" Tenten muttered under her breath, causing Ai to laugh.

"This is no joke," Gotoh demanded.

Ai stepped forward. "What are you going to do if it was one of us? You can't hold us."

"We don't have time to debate the issue," Neji growled. "Take us to the prison as we have our own questions to ask."

"Ah crap, not more ninja," complained one of the prisoners.

* * *

"Don't worry, we're not here for you," Ai shot at him. "Sorry that this is the most female flesh you'll be seeing in a while."

"Ha, ha," the guy laughed sarcastically.

Arriving at the deepest cell, the ninja found a bloody mess smeared everywhere.

Gotoh went to one of the walls and pried out a shuriken from it. "We've been pulling dozens of these out."

"Man, the guy must have been pissed to be this sloppy," Ai observed. "This was a chain shuriken thing. Two Mist-nin nearly cut my head off with one of these things. And whoever used it sent it straight into a wall."

"Chief Gotoh, who was in this cell?" Jiro demanded.

"Captain Boujima," the officer answered.

"The captain of the sex slave ship?" Jiro asked in surprise.

"WHAT?" Tenten cried out. "If the Mist-nin murdered him that means they used the noble girl for..."

Ai took off running, which the other ninja quickly followed, she then skidded to a stop in front of the cell of the prisoner she had taunted earlier. "Hey, limp dick! When you got your jollies off with the girls, did any of them have a birthmark?"

The man blinked. "Yamiko had a strange mark near her cunt. Why?"

"Fuck! I thought she was twenty, not seventeen!" Ai cursed.

"Ah, isn't she the girl that's pregnant?" Rock Lee asked in a confused tone.

The prisoner's eyes widened. "Hey, now! It probably ain't mine!"

Neji clenched his fist. "We've got to find her before those Mist-nin do. They will kill her this time."

The prisoner could only stare as the six ninja that had been in front of his cell disappeared.

* * *

"Yamiko!" Ai cried out seeing the girl walk down the street. "Good! You're okay!"

Yamiko merely nodded, but did not look at the ninja.

Smelling a strange fragrance, Ai felt a little lightheaded. "You got a new perfume?"

Yamiko nodded again.

Ai frowned as her head started to hurt. "You going out looking for guys?" When the girl answered with another nod, the ninja kicked her in the chest.

"How did you know?" a masculine voice asked.

"After what you bastards did to her, the touch of a man is revolting to her," Ai spat.

"Good," Yamiko smirked evilly. "Can't have my cousin leave an heir. But it's too late for you. You are mine."

"Huh?" Ai questioned before her world began to spin.

* * *

Rock Lee smiled when he spotted Yamiko, and she wasn't alone. Now all they had to do was safely get her back to her home island and the mission would finally be over. His smile fell as he heard Yamiko speak, and it was no voice of a girl he heard.

"A powerful Mist-nin is here to destroy you and all you love," 'Yamiko' said in a deep male voice.

"Kisame..." Ai muttered out as if she cursed. "Where's your butt-buddy, Itachi?" She growled viciously. "You damned Akatsuki keep taking away everything from me! I won't let you get away with it anymore! Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Yamiko's appearance faded into a guy who did not look much different save his hair was much shorter. He laughed at the sight of a sea of shadow clones surrounding the surprised Konoha ninja. "My, what have I hit here? If she faced Kisame and lived to tell about it, there's little chance you can beat her. Now to find my beloved cousin so I can kill her personally."

Dodging the incoming attacks, the Konoha ninja asked, "I suppose telling you I'm Rock Lee won't mean much?"

"Where's your sword?" one of the Ai's asked. "Don't need it? Why you..."

"Guess not." Rock Lee frowned. "I hate Genjutsu. Please forgive me for what I have to do." And the battle was joined.

* * *

Jiro frowned as he saw that he was not the first to find Yamiko. His reason to be upset had less to do with Neji beating him and more to do with clones of a Mist-nin surrounding his former cousin and the pregnant girl. It didn't help that the best ways Jiro could think of helping Neji would raise a giant flag over his head as being an Uchiha. Chidori and breathing out a fireball were completely out of the question. At least his fighting style was different enough from Naruto's that his plan shouldn't raise unwanted questions.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Jiro whispered as he approached the standoff. He and his clones jumped down into the street behind each of the clones and proceeded to assault them. In each case the surprised victim turned into water.

"Be careful. Omizuka is a water element master," Neji warned.

A distant explosion made Jiro smirk. "And he's obviously not alone."

Yamiko cowered behind Neji as a rumbling noise approached them. "Save me!"

Neji grabbed the girl and jumped into the air, followed immediately by Jiro and his many clones. A second later a tidal wave of water rushed down the street. When the ninja landed, they were not happy with the now water logged road.

"You Konoha ninja don't know when to die," Omizuka spat, arriving on the scene while riding a meter tall wave of water.

"We try our best," Neji countered.

"Try your best against this." Omizuka's hands flew through a complex set of hand signs. "Suiton Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

Jiro wished he had Sharigan active when he saw the giant water dragon launch from the nearby seawater. The dragon honed straight for Neji and Yamiko. The girl was promptly bodily tossed at Jiro, who caught her. The watery dragon still continued for Neji, who smirked as the attack descended upon him and exploded away harmlessly from the now spinning ninja.

Omizuka growled in frustration. "If only Yashida had us kill her from the beginning, we wouldn't even have to deal with this shit."

"Yashida?" Jiro blinked in confusion. "Isn't that Yamiko's real clan name?" His clones moved to attack the Mist-nin, but blades of water began to quickly cut them down.

"Her family controls one of the islands east of here. It technically belongs to no country, but has historically had ties to both Fire and Water countries. Her parents sided with Fire Country, but her cousin is a Mist-nin who wants the lands for himself," Neji explained.

"I have no family or lands," Yamiko retorted. "They disowned me and sold me off."

"Genjutsu," Jiro said simply. "They made you see what they wanted you to. It never happened."

"Thanks for giving me time," Omizuka gloated. "Suiton Ku Suiryuudan no Jutsu!" Nine dragons erupted from the sea and menacingly towered over them.

"That should be a lesson at the academy, talk AFTER you've defeated your opponent," Jiro groused. "Stand back Yamiko, this is about to get messy."

The girl took a few steps back, but then suddenly screamed.

Jiro and Neji whirled around and saw Yamiko being dragged through a wall as if it wasn't there.

"Shit! Do you think you can take Omizuka?" Neji asked.

Jiro merely nodded.

"Don't think I'll let you leave here alive!" Omizuka shouted. "Dragons descend!"

"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Jiro cried out while whipping out a devil shuriken, which he launched into the air. The single, enormous bladed throwing weapon suddenly became nine and sliced through the heads of the watery dragons, destroying half of them and damaging the rest. It was enough for Neji to give chase.

Omizuka chuckled coldly. "You are nothing but a hindrance."

"I would say that Neji and Yamiko were mine. Without them, my restrictions can come off," Jiro returned as he activated Sharigan.

"Empty boasts mean nothing," Omizuka shouted as he sent the remaining dragons to attack.

"Katon Ryuuka no Jutsu!" Jiro cried out, spewing forth a fireball from his mouth and countering the attempted attack. "There is nothing empty about what I've become."

* * *

Rock Lee quickly realized three things when fighting against one hundred copies of Ai. First, that fighting such a large number of opponents at the same time required him to fight in a different manner than he normally did. Second, that he could not let them pull off a combo move. And third, he had to deplete the number of clones as fast as he could.

As four clones of Ai ran for Rock Lee, he jumped to a handstand onto a nearby chair. Two of the clones crashed into each other in mid-kick, dispelling themselves. He then flipped to a standing position and used the chair to catch a hastily thrown punch and yanked the chair to send the girl off balance so he could send her away with a punch. The now damaged chair would be of little use so Rock Lee threw it at a pair of girls preparing something with their hands.

Another set of Ai clones descended upon Rock Lee, and he made sure they kept their distance with a ladder. Only the girls grabbed and pulled it into two. This made the boy smirk as he promptly used the now double set of quarter staves as reach weapons to brain any shadow copies that came close. And then used it as stilts when five girls did get a bit too close. Unfortunately that left the long shafts of the former ladder exposed to attacks, which the girls hacked apart to remove the improvised weapon.

Rock Lee really hated that this wasn't one-on-one. His best moves were intended to take down one, and only one person. Though there was something enjoyable about this fight, and the way Ai came at him seemed more familiar than just being from Konoha. He wasn't about to let her complete a combo to put his finger on it.

"Oodama Rasengan!" a pair of Ai clones cried out.

"I'm sorry," Rock Lee apologized before picking up the nearest thing to him, a scared cat that had been trying to hide in the corner. He proceeded to throw the cat at the face of one of the clones charging at him. The result was what he was hoping for. The attack disrupted from the cat clawing one of the girl's faces.

A summersault and grab latter, Rock Lee now held someone's wet pants and used it like a whip to fend off one attack before latching onto a different clone and making her move in front of another Ai running at him.

"You're playing with me, aren't you?" Ai hissed out angrily. "Bastard."

* * *

The Land of Waves looked like it had suffered a severe localized flood. From the harbor to deep into the island where Ai and Jiro practiced daily was now covered in water.

"I suppose you have some special trick with fresh water," Omizuka growled. "I did not believe Konoha had such an element master to use both fire and water."

"I couldn't use water jutsu until this fight," Jiro returned.

Omizuka scowled. "Are you Copy Cat Kakashi's son?"

Jiro frowned. "It would seem I was careless. I didn't need to set up your death."

Omizuka laughed bitterly, moving to stand on the pond. "The only one to die will be you. There is no way you can know my final technique!"

"As much as I'd like to learn it, I have to end this match now," Jiro retorted, standing on the other side of the small body of fresh water.

Omizuka went into a complex set of hand seals. Jiro grabbed his right wrist and focused his chakra. Lightning began to arc from his hand and across the pond's surface, stunning the Mist-nin. Jiro shot forward and plunged his electrified hand into Omizuka's chest.

Jiro pulled his hand free and watched in remorse as the dead Mist-nin sank into the pond.

* * *

"He's toying with me," Ai spat, watching Kisame dispatching her clones with nonchalant ease. He taunted her as he sent volleys of watery spheres at her clones. She would make him and the other Akatsuki pay for messing with her life. She would not be in this situation if it was not for them. Because of them she was now the lover of a guy. While she might not regret her feelings for Jiro, the loss of her identity as Naruto was certainly crime enough.

"Why aren't you helping me?" Ai asked the kyuubi within her.

"Because you are a fool. Watch him closer," a demonic voice replied.

Ai had been watching the bastard closely. She didn't understand what she should be looking for. She had never fought fish-face before.

The demon sighed. "You really are stupid, aren't you? Does he fight like Zabuza or Haku?"

"No," Ai immediately replied angrily. "Why should that matter?"

"That's a Konoha fighting stance he uses, stupid shit. Kisame is a former Mist-nin. He would not keep falling back to the lotus stance," the kyuubi hissed out.

"Lotus...?" Ai questioned, staring more intently at ninja fighting her remaining twenty clones. "Fuzzy Eyebrows?"

Rock Lee missed a step and looked at the girl who said that with wide eyes. "Naruto?"

Ai clutched at her head. She had been trapped in some stupid Genjutsu. Jiraiya had given her a means of fighting this. She let out a roar as she let her chakra flare about her, disrupting its normal flow and breaking the control of the illusion that had entrapped her. She smirked upon seeing Rock Lee's confused faced and immediately dispelled her still deluded clones before they could attack.

"We've got to find Yamiko and make sure she's safe," Ai told him seriously. "And watch out for any strange smells."

Rock Lee nodded. "Are you really Naruto?"

"Of course not. Why would I be him? I'm a girl, if you hadn't noticed," Ai returned, but did not look him in the face when she said it.

* * *

There had been no designated meeting place, but the Konoha ninja returned to the shacks. Neji and Yamiko arrived first, followed by Gai carrying the struggling Yashida Mist-nin as if he was merely luggage, then Ai showed up with Rock Lee, Jiro tiredly walked home, while Tenten was the last to show up.

Neji was immediately at the girl's side, helping her walk the rest of the way. He was relieved to note that most of the blood on her was not her own, but some of it was. "Are you okay?"

"You should see Seiju," Tenten painfully joked. "He won't be getting up again."

Yashida laughed. "There's no way you brats could defeat Seiju, Rei and Omizuka."

Jiro turned away. "Omizuka is dead. His body lies at the bottom of a pond."

"That's a poor lie! He's a water element master! He can't be defeated near water!" Yashida protested.

"I used a lightning jutsu on him," Jiro told him simply.

"Lightning?" Yashida questioned in disbelief. He then shook his head. "There's no way you could touch Rei!"

"I sealed his chakra with my own. Even if he survives the shock, he will lose the arm that is still in a wall," Neji explained.

"You couldn't have beaten my friends! They've survived too much, even graduation, to fall against a bunch of brats!" Yashida protested.

"You've lost Yashida," Tenten hissed out. "And you should curse your buddy Seiju. When you told him to hide Kimiko-chan, he sold her as a sex slave."

Yashida gritted his teeth. "That moron! He did worse than fail me! I had wanted her alive in case I failed to have an heir." He then laughed. "But now the Yashida heir is a whore. Unfit to rule. My wife will bring the new and rightful heir into the world!"

"We'll see about that," Ai groused dangerously.

* * *

"So what happened?" Sakura wondered.

"Well, to summarize the events," Rock Lee began. "It began when Kimiko's cousin had her kidnapped and had her existence erased in order to become the next heir of his family's lands. Yashida used Genjutsu he learned as a Mist ninja to make Kimiko think her parents sold her off and to make her parents temporarily forget her. While her parents eventually remembered who she was, Kimiko believed what she had been made to see as being true.

"Kimiko, being the rightful heir of an entire island, even being held by Mist ninja did not stop potential suitors. Seiji in particular had wanted her, but she was disgusted by the violent weapon master. When Yashida ordered Kimiko to be hidden somewhere that no one knew who she truly was, Seiji took his last chance. She still rejected him, making him... upset. After beating and raping her, Seiji sold her as a sex slave."

Sakura looked sick. "How do you know so much about this?"

"Tenten found out about most of it. When they fought their last battle, he was threatening her with what he did to Kimiko. He was saying those things to make Tenten sloppy from anger, but Gai-sensei taught us how to slow ourselves down and use the anger to break our limits. To picture what we want to do to the one that made us angry, and then to execute it without fail," Rock Lee explained.

* * *

"You can come in now," Jiro announced as Yamiko lay on the floor in front of him.

Ai and Team Gai slowly entered the shack and looked at the girl with pity.

"All of that was an illusion?" Yamiko asked as she slowly stood up.

"Yes." Jiro nodded. "I can make you see anything I want. Just as your cousin did to make you believe your parents had disowned you."

"They certainly didn't," Tenten piped in. "You wouldn't believe how much they paid to have us find you."

Yamiko turned away. "I can't go back now. Especially not with some bastard child within me."

Ai folded her arms. "Actually that baby is your best revenge against your cousin. You will have an heir to make sure his child will never claim your island."

Yamiko frowned, but seemed to think that idea over.

"Our job is to take you home," Neji told her seriously. "It does not include making you stay there. If after seeing your parents you choose to leave, there would be nothing stopping you."

"You may find that going home may be the best thing for you," Gai told her. "You may find them far more understanding and helpful than you imagine."

"But what about the baby? I have no husband and no one to claim as the father," Yamiko reminded. "I was of noble birth, this child is not."

"There are ways to circumvent political issues. Much as you had been lied you too, you can lie as well. Claim the father was your husband and he died while you hid from your cousin who was out to kill you," Jiro offered. "There is enough truth in that to prevent issues, even from the Country of Water as you pin the blame on your cousin, not them."

"And what if I still refuse to go?" Yamiko threatened.

"Then you'll get similar travel accommodations as your cousin. Tied up and shoved into a room for the entire voyage," Neji told her seriously.

Yamiko frowned. "Fine, I'll go. But I don't promise to stay there."

* * *

"She did stay there," Ai told them. "Her family was very understanding, and apparently one of her childhood friends had gone off to find her and he ran into the Mist ninja and was killed by them. So he was declared the father of her baby."

"And to add to the revenge, Yamiko, er... I mean Kimiko had a perfect little boy, while her cousin's baby was a girl who was born with facial disformities. After doing all these crimes against his cousin to gain her lands, he was left with nothing," Jiro added.

Sakura pouted, not sure who to feel the most sorry for: Kimiko or the deformed daughter of the noble girl's cousin. She even felt bad for the Mist ninja, who was not entirely guilty of the ordeals Kimiko had gone through, though he certainly held a lot of the blame.

"I can assume what happens next," Tsunade groused.

"Yep. Morning sickness," Ai chirped. "Though whoever termed it that deserves a kick in the balls. Because it sure wasn't a woman."

* * *

Coming next: Chapter 12 - Naruto's Worst Nightmare, Ai's Greatest Joy Ai discovers she is pregnant, but doesn't know how to deal with it.

I appreciate all the reviews I have been getting for this series. It is great to know that you are reading and enjoying my story. The progress I've made is thanks to your support. While there are elements of this story that some find questionable, I will not be changing anything that I've already planned. There is a method to my madness, and I hope you continue with me to see how the story unfolds.

* * *

Rock Lee stood on the deck of a boat and watched the Land of Waves disappear as he helped escort Kimiko back home. He was puzzled over the seeming impossibility that Ai was in fact Naruto. The trick to break Genjutsu by changing your chakra would disrupt any type of henge, illusionary or transformational, yet Ai didn't change form. But the way the girl fought screamed Naruto and that nickname was something only the boy had used. It just didn't make sense.

"Is something bothering you, Lee?" Gai questioned.

"Gai-sensei, is it possible that Tsunade-sama could change someone into a girl?" Rock Lee wondered.

Gai appraised his favored student. "Lee, I love you like a son, but it can never be more than that. We'll speak no more of this."

Rock Lee's eyes went wide. "Gai-sensei!"

"No more!" Gai ordered firmly before trying to get away from his student.

Rock Lee followed him, trying to explain what he meant but Gai never let him.


	12. Naruto's Nightmare, Ai's Greatest Joy

Between Deception and Truth

Chapter 12 - Naruto's Nightmare, Ai's Greatest Joy

By: Lord Archive

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

"I'm not going to spar with you," Jiro stated seriously.

Ai looked at the man curiously. "What? Just because breakfast didn't agree with me? I feel fine right now."

"Breakfast, lunch and dinner hasn't agreed with you in days. You should have a doctor check you out," Jiro insisted.

"There's no need." Ai huffed. "I'm not sick."

"Then why are you throwing up every meal?" Jiro returned. "I know you must be hungry, because you can't keep anything down."

Ai opened her mouth, but her stomach growled louder than she could speak. She then folded her arms and plopped onto the ground. "Fine, so I'm having trouble eating. Big deal. Still not going to see some stupid doctor."

"Ai..." Jiro growled as he massaged his forehead. "If you can't eat lunch without throwing up, you're going even if I have to drag you there."

Ai smirked. "You'd have to beat me first."

Jiro shook his head. "Let's work on our jutsu."

The scowl on Ai's face didn't leave her. "Well, if we're going to work on that, I've got an idea. When you henge into a girl, do you think about the body you'll take?"

Jiro blinked, and then shook his head. "I've never really put any thought into it."

"Same here. Yet when we swap genders like that, we turn back into Hinata and Naruto," Ai observed. "It had me thinking that since those are our true bodies, we still might be able to use them."

Jiro's eyes widened at the thought. He immediately cried out, "Henge!" With a puff of smoke, he was now Hyuuga Hinata. The now female hands shook with nervousness as she went to perform the once familiar hand signal. "Byakugan!"

The world was now black with colors of chakra showing her where everything was. "It works!" Hinata cheered. She then looked intently at Ai and her mouth dropped.

Ai cocked her head. "Something wrong?"

Hinata didn't answer the girl. Instead she bolted straight for the town.

Ai gave chase, wondering what her partner was seeing. She followed as Hinata stealthfully took to the rooftops and made her way towards the main road in town, where all the shops and most of the people who live in the town were.

Hinata's attention was scattered as she tried to look through the crowd, hoping to find one of two specific women. Finally she spotted one of them and peered intently at her. She then bonelessly sat down on the roof and the henge dispersed.

"What was that about?!" Ai demanded.

Jiro looked at the girl with frightened eyes. "Ai... you're not sick."

"I've been telling you that!" Ai shot at him smugly.

"You... you're pregnant," Jiro croaked out. "I... I saw... our baby's chakra in you."

Ai's face went white. And then she was gone. Jiro had no idea where the girl ran off to, and didn't know what he could possibly say to her.

* * *

Ai ran as hard and as far as she could. She tried to hide from the world and herself. She did not know where she was, only that she had to get away. Jiro's words still rung in her ear. But it couldn't possibly be true. She wasn't a real girl. She had been born a guy. What she had been feeling could not possibly be the same as what Yamiko had been going through.

"You know it is," a voice growled out.

Ai looked up and saw the prison that was within her body, the Kyuubi's eyes glaring through the bars. Had she run so far that she retreated into her own mind?

"This is more fun than ripping the island apart," the Kyuubi gloated.

"So that's why you're not trying to take over," Ai spat, gripping onto her anger to mask her fear.

"Of course." The demon grinned. "Watching you suffer so much is such a rare treat. Not even when Sasuke left to chase after his pointless goal have you been hurt this much."

"Shut up, dog shit," Ai growled.

"Why would I do that?" the Kyuubi chuckled evilly. "I want you to suffer. You have no idea what being imprisoned in your pathetic body is like for a god like me."

"How about I just kill you and be done with it," Ai threatened.

"And be more of a hypocrite?" the Kyuubi shot back. "To kill me would be to kill yourself, and the child within you. You argued against letting the prostitute remove her bastard child, but when you began to suspect that you were pregnant-- you tried to get your husband to spar with you in hopes of him hurting you enough to kill your own baby."

"Shut up! I didn't know!" Ai protested.

"Of course you didn't know. You didn't want to know. Now you have to protect your baby, or go back against your word," the Kyuubi pointed out with demented glee.

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" Ai cried out.

"You're awake."

Ai blinked and looked around. She found herself sitting on Inari's bed with Tsunami looking at her with concern.

"Did something happen? I found you unconscious on the beach." Tsunami felt the girl's head.

Ai knocked the hand away. "Yeah, I'm... fine. I guess."

"You are?" Tsunami asked disbelievingly.

"I had a bit of a shock today." Ai looked at her twitching hands. "I... I found out I'm pregnant."

"I see." Tsunami smiled gently. "You were scared out of your wits, weren't you?"

"No! Er, well. Yes... I'm still scared. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. This shouldn't even be able to happen to me. I'm not ready for this," Ai muttered out through growing tears.

Tsunami hugged the shivering girl. "No girl is ready for this. Even the ones who want to have a baby aren't fully ready. When I found out I was pregnant with Inari, I wanted to run away from the island as if doing so would leave behind my pregnancy as well. However, this isn't something that running away from it will solve."

"This is just another challenge for me to face, and I don't back down," Ai said, trying to give herself courage.

Tsunami nodded. "Exactly. Now does Jiro know?"

Ai smirked. "He's the one who figured it out."

"I see. How does he feel about this?" Tsunami asked.

"Don't know." Ai let out a harsh laugh. "I don't think he knows how he feels yet. Knowing him, he probably got himself drunk."

Tsunami giggled. "Inari's father did much the same."

Ai pulled herself out of Tsunami's hug and got out of the bed. "Well, hiding won't get me anywhere. May as well track down Jiro."

"Take care," Tsunami advised.

Ai smirked painfully while patting her waist. "Right. Wouldn't want anything happening to this little fellow." She then walked out of the house and almost straight into Inari's grandfather, Tazuna, who looked at her in wide-eyed shock. It would be days before he said anything coherent to anyone as his mind tried to reconcile that Naruto was pregnant.

* * *

Jiro awoke the following morning to the mother of all hangovers. He bolted from the bed and ran straight to the toilet to throw up. He was heaving the nastiest taste he ever had the misfortune of gracing his tongue. After a few minutes of being hunched over in the bathroom, he was kicked aside as Ai followed suit.

"You know this is all your fault," Ai grumbled, still hunched over the toilet.

Jiro merely nodded, looking at her with some fear.

Ai plopped on the floor next to her lover. "Some pair we make, huh? We really do get everything wrong. We were supposed to have been hiding, yet the Akatsuki finds us in only a couple months. We were only supposed to be pretending to be married, yet we were screwing like rabbits. Your job was to protect me while I trained, but because of you I can't train anymore." Her laughter was mixed with tears.

"Ai..." Jiro whispered, wondering at her words and why she was sitting so near to him.

"Hold me," Ai said quietly.

"Huh?" Jiro blinked.

"Hold me and never let go." Ai looked at him desperately. "I'm scared, Jiro. I was an idiot for trying to tell Yamiko what to do about her baby. I didn't understand what it felt like. And she had it worse. She was alone, while I at least have you."

Jiro pulled the girl into hug. "You still want me after all I've done to you?"

"I don't want you. I need you," Ai retorted.

Jiro pouted and looked away. "Perhaps we should go back to Konoha. They can help you better than I can."

Ai shook her head. "I'd be even more of a freak. Oh, sure, I'd get some help from Tsunade-bachan and Sakura-chan, but the city itself wouldn't accept me."

"They wouldn't have to know who you are," Jiro insisted.

"Somehow I doubt it would stay a secret for long. I couldn't possibly deal with them now," Ai returned.

"But wouldn't you prefer to be with people you love?" Jiro forced out.

Ai broke out of the hug to look at him. "I have that here with Inari, Keiko, Tsunami, Tazuna, and you."

"You love me?" Jiro asked with surprise.

"Of course I do! I've only been boning you for months. Why would you think I didn't love you?" Ai shot at him.

"You never said it," Jiro retorted.

"Sure I have. The night we first had sex," Ai retorted.

"You said you liked me, not loved me," Jiro corrected. "And you haven't even said that much since then."

Ai poked his chest. "You want to hear it, fine. I love you, Jiro. Happy?"

For some reason Jiro wasn't happy. He wasn't sure if he should believe her. "You're not just saying that, are you?"

Ai growled out in frustration. "Hello?! I was born a freaking guy and I've been letting you put your dick into me. If that's not fucking love, nothing is. And in case you haven't noticed, you've never told me that you love me."

Jiro stared at the girl. Slowly he began to laugh.

Ai folded her arms. "What's so funny?"

"I'm an idiot," Jiro stated.

"Got that right." Ai nodded.

"And I do love you." Jiro reached over and kissed her on the lips. Then they immediately broke apart with disgusted looks.

"Gah! Vomit breath!" Ai spat out, before laughing with her not-so-fake husband.

* * *

Ai watched as Inari and Keiko sparred. She was quite pleased with the level of skill they now possessed. They should be a match for any student in Konoha, even the ones with bloodline limits. Her thoughts of Konoha brought back memories of her friends there, but she shook that off not wanting to think of how they would react to her now.

A girlish scream caught Ai's attention. She glared at the sight of Inari cowering behind Keiko as a three-meter long slug approaching them. Though she wasn't sure if it was more irritated by the appearance of the slug or the fact that one of her students was so visibly scared.

"You two go home. This is for me to deal with," Ai ordered.

"But Sensei... you're pregnancy..." Keiko trailed off uncertainly.

"It's a messenger from Konoha. And it's not something for you to hear. Now go home," Ai barked out at them.

Inari needed no more motivation as he ran away. Keiko let out an exasperated sigh and ran after him.

The giant slug lurched and then seemingly vomited a tall and overly-endowed woman. Tsunade had in fact used a space-time jutsu to functionally summon herself in the Land of Waves using slugs as her teleportation medium. Ai was annoyed at the reminder that Jiraiya had not been teaching her such things.

Ai folded her arms. "You didn't have to come all the way here, Bachan."

"Oh, really." Tsunade glared at the girl. "And what quack said you were pregnant?"

"Jiro found out when we tested a transformational henge to see if he really did become Hinata, when he changed into a girl without thinking. He saw our baby's chakra," Ai told her flatly.

Tsunade trudged toward the girl, yanked up her shirt and probed her lower stomach with chi enshrouded fingers. The woman paled. "You really are pregnant."

"I told you that in my message!" Ai reminded.

"How?" Tsunade demanded.

"Well... when a boy and a girl REALLY likes each other, they start touching, then really touching with no clothes on. He then puts his 'yahoo' into her 'wuhoo' and she becomes pregnant," Ai mocked how Iruka had described it years ago.

"And Hinata is the father?" Tsunade asked, her body wavering.

"Of course Jiro is the father. You only saddled me with the most annoyingly devoted person you could find. It'd be hard not to love that idiot," Ai groused.

Large nervous sweat formed on the back of Tsunade's head. "Of course." She frowned at the girl. "And you're going to keep the baby?"

Ai nodded. "I swore I'd protect innocent people. You can't get much more innocent than an unborn baby."

"Right..." Tsunade trailed off. "But you won't be able to train as hard as you need to. There would be numerous restrictions to guard the health of the baby. In particular, no Kage Bunshin. The further along the pregnancy becomes, the more shadow memory will adversely affect the baby. It can even cause miscarriage."

Ai sighed. "Figured as much. Jiro has already taken over my job at the ramen-ya. Course, that's mostly because I couldn't work ten minutes straight without heaving."

Tsunade nodded. "You especially will need to avoid excessive chakra usage. The Kyuubi's chakra is poisonous, and could hurt or kill your baby."

Ai frowned and nodded. "Perhaps the question is 'what CAN I do?'"

"Taijutsu and basic ninjutsu are fine. Focus on minimized movements." Tsunade thought for a moment. "I'll send one of the older ninja here to teach you and Jiro a defensive taijutsu that focuses on turning an opponent's strength against him."

"Otherwise it's do what I've been doing. Not much more than teaching Inari and Keiko and eat whatever I'm craving," Ai muttered.

"That's a good start. But you are going to get a complete check-up before I will give you any specifics. And you will follow all the instructions I give you," Tsunade finished with her commanding tone that would take no objections.

Ai merely slouched. "Yeah, whatever. Let's get this over with."

"And where is the expecting father?" Tsunade muttered darkly.

Ai raised an eyebrow. "You haven't noticed him? He's there and there." She pointed up into two different trees.

Tsunade irritably folded her arms. "Right. Annoyingly devoted." She then sighed, wondering how her great plan to protect Naruto had gone so horribly wrong.

-

* * *

-

"Iruka-sensei really described it like that?!" Sakura giggled.

"Are you really surprised?" Ai retorted.

Sakura thought for a moment and shook her head. "Not really."

"It certainly explains her naivete and fear," Jiro added. "She really didn't know much about sex."

"So, how did you react to learning you were going to be a father?" Sakura asked.

Jiro scratched the back of his head. "Scared, mostly. With Kage Bunshin I was at least able to watch Ai, work the docks and the ramen-ya, and still do some training."

"That takes a lot of chakra, doesn't it?" Sakura wondered.

"Sure, but it's a lot like his leg weights giving you extra strength when you remove them," Jiro explained, pointing at Rock Lee. "Kage Bunshin did much the same, as I was almost always in three or four places at a time. So it enhanced my overall chakra."

"I see, it's much like the strength technique Tsunade-sama taught me," Sakura commented.

"I wish I had spent more time with Kage Bunshin then," Kakashi chirped.

Tsunade folded her arms. "No, you don't. There are possible side-effects from over using the technique. It's one of the reasons it had been sealed."

"What sort of side-effects?" Sakura wondered.

"I'll save that for a medical lesson later," Tsunade replied. She turned her attention back to the young parents. "We got that you had learned of and accepted that you were going to have a baby. What happened after that?"

They looked at each other and shrugged. "Frankly, nothing happened for most of my pregnancy. It was almost like something was keeping anything dangerous away from me. The next thing that happened was at the start of summer." Ai grinned at Jiraiya. "It begins with you, so why don't you tell them about it."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "This is your debriefing, not mine."

"It's OUR debriefing, you included," Ai shot back with demented glee. "I suppose we could bring in Keiko and Inari to give their side of what happened."

Jiraiya bristled at the apparent threat. "Fine. It began when I was scouting around to make sure everything was safe before I approached Ai."

"In other words, he was 'researching' for his newest book by spying on women's baths," Ai corrected.

"WHAT?!" Sakura growled out.

"Hello! I call him 'pervert-sannin' for a reason. He's been spying on girls in the buff since before he was a ninja," Ai reminded.

"What happened?" Tsunade demanded to keep Sakura from furthering derailing the debriefing, even if she wanted to bash the lech in the face.

"Well, I was... interrupted..." Jiraiya trailed off sheepishly.

-

* * *

-

Jiraiya stared at the young women happily frolicking in the hot springs. So entranced was he, he failed to noticed a young girl pulling herself out of the water near him. He did not see her purposeful strides, nor heeded the strange speed of which she dried herself. So it came as a complete surprise a minute later when he felt two tiny fists slam into his side that somehow caused an intense amount of pain.

Now the old ninja was looking at the eleven-year-old girl with black mane-like hair that reached her shoulder blades. She was certainly cute, especially wearing an oversized woolen sweater that looked like it should be worn to bed during the middle of winter and not worn in the summer heat. The way she was moving her arms, one would think she was faking skill in taijutsu. Jiraiya was no fool, however, and knew painfully well now that she was preparing for her elemental lightning ninjutsu using the static charge her sweater produced.

"I will not forgive you!" Keiko shot forward, trying to land another attack. Her target jumped over her, easily avoiding her.

"You must be--" Jiraiya couldn't say another word as a wash bucket smacked him in the face.

Shouts of 'pervert' and 'freak' raised the alarm as the bathing beauties either went to cover themselves or went on the warpath. The distraction they provided gave Keiko the opening she wanted as she landed another two fisted strike, discharging an electric shock from her hands causing her enemy pain and stunning him briefly.

Had Jiraiya been anyone else, the horde of angry women would've descended their wrath upon him before he could recover. However, he was not just an ordinary pervert and was able to flee just in time to avoid their strikes, though he did let them vent their anger on the poor wash bucket that had hit him.

With his research canceled for the rest of the day, Jiraiya bid a hasty retreat. Keiko was having none of that, and quickly gave chase.

Jiraiya saw no point in fighting the young girl, believing her to be Ai's student. Actually, he was quite impressed that the girl had already started to learn elemental jutsu in only months of training. The woolen sweater showed her inexperience though as she still needed a source of the element to manipulate and can not create it on her own. Not to mention her attack merely stunned the target and didn't cause any real damage.

Hiding in plain sight, Jiraiya covered his appearance with a tarp that blended well with the wall behind him. The problem with such a tactic was that you had to rely on your hearing to know if the coast was clear. He did not take in account how light the young ninja could be on her feet. He paid for that mistake with another two-fisted strike, this time far too close to his 'best friend.' He leapt straight up and clutched onto an open window to stay out of the girl's reach.

A female squeak of surprise caught Jiraiya's attention. He looked inside the house he was clinging to and grinned wolfishly. He tried to think of something charming and witty to say to the half-dressed woman, but she had her retort ready. A flowerpot to his face, followed by a pillow, a chair, a mirror, and a pit bull. It was the last of those items that made Jiraiya drop from the window as the vicious dog clamped hungrily to his arm.

Keiko was waiting for the lech and gave him an electrifying hug.

Jiraiya broke out of her embrace, and was rather thankful for the attack as it got the dog off him. He ran off again, with both Keiko and the pit bull giving chase.

A wrong turn later had Jiraiya backtracking as the mob of women found him. He would've loved to look at them some more, as a few of the women still had no tops on while one of them was still completely naked, but decided that survival had higher priority. He dodged the attacks Keiko and the pit bull attempted, and managed to get around them. The commotion had brought the men of the town out, but they did not hinder Jiraiya, rather they acted as if they were watching a parade, cheering both for him and his pursuers.

Not all of the guys in the town were going to stay out of this, though. Just as the pervert rounded a corner, a twelve-year-old boy slapped his hands into a full rain barrel. The water in it erupted into a wave that crashed into Jiraiya, making him lose a step. He eyed the boy briefly, guessing him to be Ai's other student. Again, he was impressed the boy had also been taught elemental jutsu, however the gourds around his waist and the use of the rain barrel clearly displayed he was just as new to this as the girl, unable to make his own and hard-pressed to do anything truly damaging.

The distraction allowed Keiko to catch up to the old pervert, but he wasn't going to allow her to land another hit. He jumped back and out of the reach of her committed attack. The smirks on the kids' faces, however, caused him to reassess his supposed 'safety.' He belatedly realized that while he avoided her fists, he had not gotten out of the large puddle the boy had made. "Oh, crap," he muttered as the girl's hands struck the pond, electrifying it.

It was good to be a master ninja. Even a split second was enough to get him out of the attack. Jiraiya chuckled at them as he stood on top of a nearby chair. "I'm quite--"

Inari didn't let him speak, firing one of his water-filled gourds like a cannon. Keiko pulled out a pair of kunai from a hidden pocket on the woolen sweater, the weapon already charged with electricity. The dog was impotently jumping and snapping his jaws, but falling short of the target.

With those two having trained from day one together, he was rather certain that the two could work together. That water punch could hurt on it's own, but if she landed an electrified kunai to the same area, the combined damage would be multiplied. The fact he was soaked already was troublesome in itself. Talking to them wouldn't work while they were so hostile to him.

The stand off continued until the horde of angry women caught up. Jiraiya let them land a few hits in before retreating. As angry as the women were, their attacks would cause no where near the damage the two children would inflict on him.

After running four blocks away, Jiraiya realized the two kids had not followed him. Despite the fact the irate women were beating on him, he managed to vanish from their sight leaving nothing for them to vent their rage on.

* * *

Ai heard the commotion going on in the town and decided to investigate despite that she hated what she was wearing. With her pregnancy starting to show, pants were now extremely difficult to wear without them falling. She had fought against the necessity, but her expanding waistline won out. She was now wearing a dress.

As Ai neared the main street she saw Jiro trying to keep Keiko and Inari from running off somewhere. "What's going on?"

"There was a pervert at the baths! I went there with Ayashi-san and he was looking right at her! I won't let him get away with that!" Keiko announced earnestly.

"Pervert in the baths, huh? Was he the pervert-sannin?" Ai shook her head when Jiro nodded. "Was your friend near her big sister when he was 'watching her?'"

Keiko shrugged. "I guess so."

"Right..." Ai massaged her forehead. "Keiko, I seriously doubt he even noticed Ayashi was in the baths. You'd need a chest bigger than mine to get his attention, and her sister has that."

"Is that supposed to be an excuse?" Keiko hissed. "He violated those girls' privacy!"

Ai sighed. If anyone knew about being 'violated,' it was Keiko. She didn't want take away from the emotionally scarred girl's desire to express herself in defending others, especially the special people in her life like her first female friend her own age. However, she certainly picked the wrong person to be her enemy. "As much as I'd love to see Jiraiya get his face kicked in, we can't do that."

"Why not?" Inari demanded.

"Well, for one thing he's supposed to be my teacher," Ai told them.

"Not to mention he's a legendary ninja that I doubt we could defeat working together," Jiro added.

"Keiko and I almost defeated him already! We would have if you didn't get in the way!" Inari protested.

"Jiraiya wasn't fighting back. He could've easily stopped both of you if he bothered to get serious. The hits you landed were because he was underestimating you. He would not continue to make that mistake," Jiro intoned.

"He can't get away with what he did!" Keiko insisted.

Ai eyed something in a nearby shop. "Oh, I have an idea of how to get back at the old pervert."

* * *

When you've overstayed your welcome before you've done what you needed, henge quickly becomes your best friend. Even after taking the image of the one-armed ninja that he used in the middle of nowhere town, finding Ai proved to be harder than he thought it would. He couldn't even find Jiro. He managed to find their home, but no one was there.

Not wanting to wait around, Jiraiya went back to the main street, hoping to spot them shopping. Yet he could find no trace of them. At least the scenery was better than a bunch of barely standing shacks.

"Do you think these flowers look good together?"

It took a second for Jiraiya to realize he had been asked that question. Looking upon the girl holding up two different flowers made the ninja's mind ooze out of his skull. Dressed in the pinkest, frilliest, most girlish dress he had ever seen was Ai. "What the hell are you wearing that for?!"

Ai blushed demurely. "Well, I can't wear pants in my condition, so I need to wear dresses instead. This makes me look pretty, doesn't it?"

"P-p-pretty?!" Jiraiya sputtered. "You're dressed like a girl!"

Ai pouted at him. "I am a girl, in case you haven't noticed. Now do you have any thoughts for baby names?"

"B-b-baby names?!" Jiraiya cried out.

Ai nodded and turned slightly. She let her hand glide over the slight bulge at her waist.

"You can't possibly be...?" Jiraiya trailed off, staring disbelievingly at her.

"I am," Ai told him in all seriousness. "About five months along. You can't believe how thankful I am that I've stopped throwing up all the time."

Jiraiya slapped his forehead. "You stopped pretending with your partner, didn't you?"

Ai folded her arms. "About six months ago."

Jiraiya bonelessly sat down in the street. "Information on the Akatsuki isn't worth this. I should have been here. Should have done something..."

"Well, you weren't and you didn't." Ai glared at him intensely. "Now I have to deal starting a family with a loving and annoyingly devoted husband. I haven't given up on my goals. They've been put on hold."

Jiraiya nodded. "Yes. Things will have to be put on hold."

-

* * *

-

"If I had saw that, I think my head would've exploded," Rock Lee muttered.

Sakura giggled. "That certainly was one way to get back at him."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "That girl still thinks I'm some pedophile."

"Let's see, you're ancient and you stare at twenty-year-old girls. Gee, I can't see where that concept comes from when you're more than twice the age of the girls you peep on," Ai groused.

"Twice the age, certainly. Not five times their age. They need curves, fine supple bodies. If they have no chest, what makes touching it any different than a guy's?" Jiraiya shuddered in revulsion.

"I'd give you a shovel, but you're digging your own grave well enough without one," Kakashi chirped.

Jiraiya decided not to reply with Sakura and Tsunade glaring at him.

Ai sighed loudly to get their attention. "The next event isn't something that's related to me or Jiro. I'd rather not talk about it as it's Inari and Keiko's story to tell, if they decide to talk about it. Beyond the typical pregnancy problems and life issues that caused Jiro to spend more than one night on that small couch, the next thing that needs to be addressed is when I gave birth to Shinobu-chan."

* * *

Author's Notes:

Coming Next: Gaiden #1 - Keiko's Story Keiko has decided it was time to tell Inari everything about her, including her time as slave.


	13. Gaiden 1 Keiko's Story

Between Deception and Truth

Gaiden #1: Keiko's Story

Naruto is owned by Kishimoto, all rights reserved. Used without consent.

This story contains depictions of child sexual abuse, without going into graphic detail. Read at your own descreation.

* * *

Shizune muttered under her breath as piles of paperwork continued to build around her. With Tsunade busy with the debriefing, it fell to her to handle many of the day-to-day tasks of managing Konoha. It was good to see the Hokage at least take some aspect of her job seriously, but that was only because it was one of her pet missions that she had come up with. Shizune didn't know all the specifics of it, but what she did know was rather disturbing.

Loud and proud Naruto was a mother. Just trying to wrap her head around that was headache inducing, if she didn't have one already.

A knock on the door pulled her away from the mess of paperwork she was working on. "Enter."

Iruka opened the door and walked in. "Shizune-san, I have the scores for the two new students."

"Let's see them," Shizune groused. She took the offered file and flipped through it. "Can't say I didn't expect them to do well in history."

"True, having not lived in Konoha, we can hardly expect them to know much about the previous Hokage. Inari has a little more knowledge, though some of his answers were the result of intentional misinformation," Iruka commented.

Shizune's eyes widened in surprise. "Is this right? Keiko and Inari defeated every student we had them test against?"

"And a couple of genin from last year," Iruka added. "Konohamaru even took it upon himself to have his personal three-man team fight Inari and Keiko together. There was no decisive winner as they're all currently rebuilding what they broke."

Shizune rubbed her forehead. "What else should I suspect from Naruto-wannabes?"

"It does seem odd that both Inari and Keiko would seem to fit that as well. Whoever this Ai girl was who taught them may as well have been Naruto's sister from what they've said about her," Iruka commented.

Shizune let out a short laugh. "You have no idea." She then shook her head. "Where do you think they should stand?"

"I would like them to have a year at the academy to learn more about Konoha before committing themselves to defend it," Iruka replied, but seemed to want to say more.

Shizune eyed him closely. "I hear a 'but' in there."

Iruka sighed. "Skill-wise, they're ready for the test."

"I see." Shizune hated what was to come next. "I guess it's time to interview them. See where they stand before I make my recommendations to Tsunade-sama. Bring in Keiko first."

Iruka nodded and left. It was ten minutes later that he returned briefly, guiding the girl into the room.

Shizune eyed the girl carefully. "I'm afraid I'll have to make sure you answer me honestly."

"I understand," Keiko replied with a little nervousness as she took the seat Shizune was now pointing to.

"I wish you truly did." Shizune sighed before performing a set of hand signs to activate a jutsu.

Keiko's eyes glazed over. She then blinked and shook her head. "What did you just do?"

"It's functionally a lie-detecting jutsu. With it I can tell how honest your answers will be," Shizune informed. There was a bit more to it, but she didn't want to scare the girl nor reveal how invasive the technique was. Particularly as the more the target knew about the jutsu, the easier it was to hide or give false information. "Now why don't you tell me about where you are from?"

Keiko shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "I believe I was born on a rice farm. I don't remember much about where it was or the name of the island. I don't even remember my clan name, if I had one. I think it was the southern part of an island and I could walk to the ocean. I remember the watery fields of plants growing and my parents tending to them a lot. I think I was jealous of the plants, as they kept my parents from me. Still, it was a simple and happy life."

Shizune smiled, literally getting a picture of the farm in her own mind.

Keiko looked down. "Then one sunny and extremely calm morning, when I think I was six, huge storm clouds appeared from the south. As the horribly black clouds approached, my parents grew increasingly worried. When the rain struck, the wind was pushing the water with such force that it would bruise you. The sky became black as night and the rain wouldn't end. The rice plants were under water before we knew it."

Keiko closed her eyes tightly. "My parents put me into the attic of the house and went to do what they could to save the farm. The winds only got worse. The rain pounded at the house like it was trying to get me. Lightning blew off a chunk of the roof as I cowered in the corner. I cried out for my parents, but they never came. The floor of attic suddenly moved. It bobbed up and down, swayed back and forth. The flooding waters had taken hold of the house and was moving it.

"I was scared. Scared beyond anything that ever happened to me, even my time as a slave. I may have only been six, but I will remember that day clearly for the rest of my life. It was the day my parents died." Tears rolled out of her still closed eyes.

"It seemed like forever before the storm ended. When it did, the house settled kilometers away from the beach. When I eventually got the courage to go outside in the blinding bright and humid day, all I saw was devastation. The rice fields were gone, my neighbors were gone, and bits of trees were everywhere. I don't know how long it was before someone found me. I was just too numb to think." Keiko choked back a sob.

Shizune wanted to hug the girl. Years later, the pain of that day was still etched into girl. A scar on her heart that would never heal.

Keiko rubbed her eyes free of her tears. "My uncle took me in. He lived on the north side of the island and his farm hadn't seen the damage the southern half did. Still the storm took a toll on his lands and having an extra mouth to feed certainly didn't help. A year later things seemed to be better, as if the awful storm never happened."

Keiko sighed. "I don't understand money too much, and apparently neither did my uncle. He had borrowed money to fix the farm, but could not pay it all back. At nights he would go and play some games. Some nights he would return extremely happy and with a gift for me, more often he came home upset at his luck.

"We were able to manage for a while. For almost four years, we had developed our own simple routine. Then the spring of last year came with almost no rain. We lived on a rice farm. Without rain, the plants won't grow. Uncle began to spend more and more time with his games, and less time on the farm. He had already sold a large portion of the lands to cover his previous debts. There wasn't much else he owned. Because of his gambling, he owed a lot of money to some evil men. One day, when they came to the farm to collect, they began to beat him. I got them to stop, surprising them with my appearance. Uncle had never let them knew I existed, and for good reason." Keiko swallowed hard.

"Uncle kept coming home from his gaming not just deeper in debt, but beaten up as well. I didn't know what to do. After a few weeks, uncle took me to where he had been playing his games. He would tell me nothing beyond, 'I'm sorry.'" Now there were no tears in Keiko's eyes, but a vacant stare devoid of emotion.

"The men whom my uncle owed money weren't shy about anything." Keiko let out a hollow laugh. "In fact what they said helped me deal with what they wanted me to do. That if I didn't do what they said, that if I proved to be a bad 'investment,' they would kill my uncle and I would still belong to them.

"The boss of those men decided to test me. He ordered me to take off my clothes and lay down on the gambling floor where my uncle had lost all his money and more. I didn't even raise any protest with ugly men holding knives behind my uncle. Their boss dropped his pants and he took me. It hurt as he violated me, but I wouldn't tell him 'no.' I wasn't going to scream. I wanted to. I wanted to run away, but I couldn't. Uncle would've been killed and they would still take me and do whatever they wanted as I had no place to run to.

"The following couple weeks was filled with 'training' as men taught me how to please people with my body. I began to service men for money. I would do anything they asked of me. Each time a little piece of me died.

"After a month working as a prostitute, I saw my uncle again. He was once again horribly in debt. He was brought out in front of other men who owed money. They made an example out of my uncle to the others by beating him to death.

"I felt nothing seeing him die. The reason I had accepted their horrible job had been to keep my uncle safe, and they had murdered him. Nothing should've held me there. I should have fled. I didn't. I had no place else to go and they still owned me. If I ran, they would hunt me down and hurt me.

"The murder attracted unwanted attention and a prostitute my age couldn't be found there. So they shoved me onto a ship with other sex slaves. It was a pleasure ship that would dock somewhere discretely and men would buy their way aboard and have sex with us. With the seawaters all around us, there really was no where to run.

"I've lost count of the men I gave pleasure too. I had no will to fight them and tried to enjoy the false security I had. Some of the men I was with were rather good, and I enjoyed what they did to me. Others were just painful experiences I learned to forget about," Keiko finished with a dry tone.

Shizune rubbed her forehead. The girl's words may be emotionless, but that was a defense mechanism. The pain was as bad, if not worse, than losing her parents. Rather than face it, she buried it. It was another large scar on her heart that no amount of medicine would ever cure. "How did you escape from being a prostitute?"

"I was given a second birthday," Keiko replied.

-

* * *

The sun was blinding as Keiko descended from the ship that had been her home for the past few months. She was not pleased with the turn of events. Just because the new girl was still scared, the ship had been raided. What were they supposed to do now? They had no home now. No bed to sleep in. No money to buy anything and, more importantly, no food to eat.

It took a moment for Keiko's eyes to adjust before she could clearly make out the people on the docks. Their varied reactions left her confused. Some were angry, others looked shock, and of course there were some who looked upon her and the other girls with lust. Yet some of the people held the most unusual expression that Keiko had not seen in a long time and nearly forgot what it was, concern.

"You shouldn't have to walk around like that!" a buxom barmaid told the girl, wrapping a blanket around her.

Keiko didn't understand what was wrong with the open blouse she had been wearing. All the girls wore outfits that best displayed what they had to offer. Her lack of clothing was to highlight the other things she lacked, clearly showing her age to men who did not want a girl who bled monthly.

At a loss for what to do, Keiko just stood at the dock as the people of the town decided what to do with them. A few ship captains came forward and offered free passage to any of the girls wanting to go home.

A purple haired girl kneeled before her. "Hey, kiddo. Don't you want to go home?"

"I don't have a home now," Keiko replied.

"What about your parents?" the older girl insisted.

"They're dead, and my uncle is too," Keiko answered with little emotion. "The ship was the only place I could call home, and now that's gone too."

"Didn't they use you for..." the older girl trailed off, not wanting to say the words for some reason.

"Of course I had sex. How else could I earn my keep and be fed?" Keiko returned as if it was the most obvious thing.

Strange whisker tattoos formed on the purple haired girl's face. "Those fucking bastards."

Keiko knew she hadn't blinked but suddenly the older girl's back was to her and ship's name had four holes punched through it. She didn't know what just happened, and could only suspect that this girl had somehow inflicted the damage to the ship despite their distance.

The older girl stomped toward the former ship captain, her eyes now literally blazing red. "Be thankful I wasn't the one who found the ship, fucktard. If I had, you'd be worse than dead."

"Ai, calm down. It's over," the black haired teenaged boy who led the raid on the ship told her.

"Shut it, Jiro," Ai spat before pointing at Keiko. "She has nothing. No home, no family, no identity. All she knows is how to fuck men."

"And women," Keiko offered in odd defiance.

"Hurk!" Ai lost a step. "They've done worse than take advantage of her!"

"Ah, excuse me..." A woman tentatively stepped forward. "Perhaps... Perhaps I can... offer her something." The woman looked at Keiko sadly. "I lost my husband before we had a chance to have any children... I know this may be selfish of me... but I want a daughter."

"You'll take her in? That's great!" Ai cheered.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Jiro wondered with caution. "She will have... issues to deal with."

"I've been alone for a long time, waiting for my husband to come home but knowing he never will." The woman sighed. "I know raising a child isn't easy, but it is something I've always wanted to do."

"Then it's settled! She can stay with you!" Ai grinned happily.

Keiko merely shrugged. This seemed to be the easiest thing, doing what they said.

"Is there anything you would like me to do, Suzamiya-san?" Keiko asked.

"You can call me 'Mom,'" Suzamiya requested.

Keiko looked down. "I'd prefer calling you 'master.'"

Suzamiya kneeled down in front of the girl. "I'm not your master. No one is."

"Yet I am to answer to you now," Keiko replied.

Suzamiya frowned deeply and took a moment before responding, "The only one you truly answer to now is yourself. I would be sad if you caused any trouble, and I certainly wouldn't want you to go back to doing what you... did on that ship. However, the choices you make now are yours." She pulled the girl into a hug. "I... I don't know how to say this right. I'd like you to be my daughter. You have a home here now. All that I want from you is to be happy."

Keiko didn't understand the woman's words at all. What would this woman get out of feeding and clothing her, if she didn't want her as a servant? The woman even told her not to have sex for money. How was she supposed to contribute to her keep?

* * *

Keiko was quite bored. Wandering around the port town garnered little for her to do. There were no jobs for her to do. No reason for her to do anything. Passing through the main street, Keiko no longer saw concern from the eyes of the people who watched her. Now it was pity or disgust if they looked at her at all.

A girl maybe a year older than Keiko rushed up. "Hi! Are you new here?"

Keiko merely nodded.

"My name is Hiroko, what's yours?" the girl asked with a bubbly smile.

Keiko looked the girl over. "I'm Keiko."

"HIROKO! Get over here now!" a woman shouted.

Hiroko jumped. "What?"

"Just get over here!" the woman insisted.

Hiroko walked to the woman and asked, "What is it, Mom?"

The woman growled with a low voice, but it was still loud enough to be heard, "I don't want to see you near that... girl."

"Why?" Hiroko wondered in confusion.

There was no answer as the mother pulled the girl away.

Keiko merely shrugged as she continued on her aimless wondering.

"It's the little whore!"

"Hey! Show us your goods!"

Keiko cast a quick glare towards the group of boys calling out to her. The oldest of them couldn't be more than two years older than her. From their joking laughter, she doubted they even knew what they had shouted. She just walked on, denying them any real response.

"Come on, girl! Let's have fun!"

"Show me your cunt!"

"Do you even know what one is?"

"No. That's why I want to see it!"

Keiko was about to move faster when a new voice cried out, "Hey! Leave her alone!"

"Oh, it's the little hero! Going to call the town to protect her?" one of the boy's teased.

"At least I know what being a hero means," the new boy retorted.

"Yeah, and you know what it means to be a punching bag as well." The apparent leader grinned devilishly. "Get him, guys!"

Keiko expected the boy to run, but he didn't. He stood his ground and fended off the boys, giving more than he received. Unfortunately he was outnumbered.

"You would've made great thugs for Gato," the so-called hero spat, rubbing his bruised jaw.

The boys snarled at what seemed to be an insult to them. With a final kick to the 'hero's' stomach, the gang walked away.

Keiko frowned at the sight of her supposed savior, and left him where he was. She had not asked for his help, and didn't believe she had needed it.

* * *

"Hello, Suzamiya-san, how has Keiko-chan been doing?" Jiro greeted.

Suzamiya frowned. "I don't know what to do with her. It's like she doesn't care about anything."

Jiro sighed. "She probably doesn't care about anyone, including herself. She has lost everything but her life."

Suzamiya nodded. "I know. It just hurts looking at her vacant eyes and seeing no joy or hope. And her nightmares have gotten worse. The first few nights she looked like she wanted to scream. Last night, she did."

Jiro blinked and then smiled. "Actually that's a good thing. It means she's starting to feel safer. Before screaming meant her death, so she couldn't do it. Now she feels safe enough to let out her pain."

Suzamiya looked at him strangely. "You mean she's getting better?"

"Exactly. I'm afraid your sleep may be interrupted for some time, as it's doubtful her nightmares will end any time soon, however it means she's starting to let down her defenses she put up to protect herself," Jiro explained.

"Will she start acting normally?" Suzamiya asked hopefully.

Jiro grimaced. "She will never be a 'normal' child. She was forced to make adult decisions, and should be recognized as such."

Keiko moved to better hide herself, not wanting them to know she had heard them. The look on Jiro's face told her that he had seen her, and that he was surprised that he didn't know she was there.

* * *

Keiko saw the gang of boys goofing off on one of the piers. She was preparing to walk away before they saw her when one of the boys was pushed off the wooden platform and into the ocean water. She merely watched as the boy floundered, crying out for help. None of the other boys moved to the rescue. One even taunted him, asking why an island boy couldn't swim.

Out of nowhere the little hero ran across the pier and jumped into the water. He grabbed hold of the drowning boy and dragged him to the beach. Both the hero and the boy he rescued were panting for breath.

"Why don't you kiss your hero?" the main taunter called out.

The boy who almost drowned shoved the little hero over. "I didn't need your help." He then ran up to the other boys and punched the one who had been taunting him in the gut. "Were you trying to kill me?"

"How was I to know you couldn't swim? You live on the fucking ocean. Learn how!" the taunter returned.

The soaking wet boy shoved him off the pier, and seemed to be annoyed when the taunter swam to the beach.

"Sorry, no kiss from me," the taunting boy teased, before kicking the little hero. All seemed forgiven with the gang as they all began to laugh.

The gang wandered off, leaving the hero where he laid. What she saw when the boy got off the ground and brushed the sand off himself was something Keiko would never forget. He had a genuine smile on his face.

* * *

"I will never understand boys," Keiko muttered.

Suzamiya blinked at the comment. It was perhaps the first normal thing she heard the girl say. "Did something happen?"

Keiko eyed the woman carefully before shrugging. "There's this gang of bullies doing whatever they pleased. Even though they tease this one boy and even beat him up, when one of the bullies fell into the ocean and nearly drowned, that boy went and saved him. The bullies didn't even thank him, not even the one he saved. Yet the boy was smiling."

Suzamiya let out a short laugh. "I see you've met the town hero. Inari is certainly a special lad. If you like him, you better stake your claim now. Girls are starting to notice him." She then blinked. "By, ah, claiming, him I don't mean, well... you know."

Keiko looked at the woman strangely. She didn't quite understand what the woman was talking about. How would sex claim someone? If it did, she had been 'claimed' by dozens of men and a few women. She shook her head, and returned to her topic, "Why does he act that way? Wouldn't it have been better to let that bully die? Not only would he have one less person teasing him, but the gang would've gotten in trouble."

"Inari is a hero in every sense of the word. He does everything he can to help others." Suzamiya sighed. "However, it's because of that he has trouble making friends. They don't understand why he would risk his own safety to help others. He's had two role models in his life that made him what he is today. A man who became a father to him but died protecting this town, and Naruto, a Konoha ninja that managed to awaken the hero in Inari and this entire town to fight and save ourselves from Gato's tyranny. He lives up to the ideals of those two, to protect people and to be someone that people can be proud of."

"He's weird." Keiko turned and walked away. "Wish there were more weird people like him."

* * *

Keiko didn't understand why, but when Suzamiya would usually have pushed her out of the house to have 'fun,' she was already leaving. It wasn't for obedience to the woman, though she would do whatever she was told. She wandered around the town and found herself actually with a half-formed goal: to find Inari.

It wasn't long before she saw the boy as he was walking around the town as well. The adults all greeted him very kindly and he would ask if they needed help with anything. Most had said they didn't need help, but one complained about a few rats and the boy immediately set out to hunt the rodents.

Inari spent two hours running around the bakery, ending up with more than a couple nicks and bruises as he attempted to kill the vermin. He was triumphant with two dead rats, though he looked a tad comical covered in flour.

Keiko discretely followed the boy as he walked out of the town into the wilderness of the island. He stopped abruptly as he reached a pond.

"Ah... sorry...," Inari called out.

Keiko thought he had spotted her, but a naked girl no older than she was jumped out of the pond.

"Geez, Inari-kun, you're ALWAYS getting yourself dirty!" the naked girl chastised and began pulling at the boy's clothes.

Inari wasn't the only one blushing as he was stripped naked and shoved into the pond. Keiko didn't understand why she felt so flushed, while the other girl didn't seem bothered at all being naked with the boy.

"Ayashi-san..." Inari muttered, his mouth barely above the surface.

The girl held little reaction, instead setting to beat as much flour off the clothes as she could before washing them in the pond and then hanging them to dry.

Keiko watched the two, and thought it odd that the girl never paid any close attention to his naked form. Inari was more aware of her, but his eyes didn't focus on any part of the girl's body besides her face. Though Keiko had to wonder if it was more self-control than lack of interest.

Seeing Ayashi's innocent actions made Keiko feel horribly dirty. Her own thoughts were certainly not as pure as that girl's. She had certainly looked upon the boy's nakedness, wishing she was in the pond with him, preferably alone.

Keiko clutched her hand over her heart. She had never willingly wanted to be with a guy, and the realization frightened her. Was she so dirty that she now craved a man's touch? She hadn't asked to be a prostitute, had never wanted to be used as merchandise to be rented out. Yet, right now, without even being touched, she felt the heat of desire for this boy. She ran off, trying to leave behind her thoughts for a boy.

* * *

Keiko tried to avoid Inari, afraid of her body's desires. As strange as it sounded to her, she didn't want her worth to be a hole for guys to use. She unfortunately found that her body wasn't the only thing she should be afraid of.

The gang of boys found her as she went for a walk after dinner. They dragged her into an alleyway without a word though she knew what they wanted.

"Hold her down," the taunting boy ordered, though she did not struggle as two boys held her shoulders to ground while the taunter removed her pants.

"She doesn't have one," one boy mentioned in awe.

"Of course she doesn't, you moron. She's a girl," the taunter shot at him.

"So where's her cunt?" another boy asked.

"Geez, are you all stupid?" the taunter spat. He then poked her between her legs. "That's her cunt."

Keiko bit her lip as the boys began to poke and probe her. Their horrible inexperience was painfully obvious as they had no clue what to do with her. However, she knew their naivete wouldn't last long before one of them figured it out. Why couldn't she just ignore them as she had the men who touched her in the past? She had endured such treatment before without protest, but now she wanted to throw-up from shear disgust. As a finger disappeared into her, she did something she had never done when men had taken her before: she screamed.

"What the hell are you doing?!" an angry cry echoed from the mouth at the alleyway, announcing the sudden arrival of the little hero.

"Well, if it isn't the little-" the taunter couldn't finish his statement as Inari's fist was planted into his face. "You little freak!" The taunter swung his own punch.

Keiko scooted back, watching as Inari fought the boys. This time was a whole lot worse than the last time she watched them fight. Last time was just being mean for the sake of being mean, this time they were all out for blood. She watched in fear as blood sprayed from torn knuckles and out of bleeding noses and mouths.

The fight continued a few moments after Inari fell to the ground, unconscious, as they kicked his unmoving form a few times out of spite. The boys then turned and walked off, leaving her half-naked with the badly beaten boy.

Keiko slapped herself and grabbed her pants, sliding them back on. She then nervously touched Inari and let out a sigh of relief when he moaned. She slung the boy's arm over her shoulder and tried to drag him out of the alley. She quickly wished she was stronger and better able to help him. At least he woke up a little and tried to walk with her.

The purple-haired girl she met at the docks jumped in front of her, who picked up Inari as if he weighed nothing and carried him home. Keiko followed, both in wanting to make sure Inari would be all right, and in wanting to know how to be strong like Ai.

* * *

Keiko shifted nervously. She had made her decision the moment that Ai had offered to teach Inari. She wanted to know how to protect herself, to no longer be weak. Yet her weakness was still quite evident to her. It had been days since the offer was made, and she had yet to tell her foster mother about her own desire. Tomorrow, Inari's training would begin, and she could delay no longer.

"S-Suzamiya-san... I would like..." Keiko shyly began.

"What is it, Dear?" the woman asked her adopted daughter.

"I would like to learn how to be a ninja," Keiko almost blurted out.

"A ninja?" Suzamiya asked with surprise. "Has Ai or Jiro taken Inari as a student?"

Keiko nodded. "Ai-sensei promised to teach Inari-sama... and I'd like to learn how to be strong too!"

Suzamiya didn't know what to make of the request. Keiko was finally making a decision for herself, but it could very well be a painful and even deadly one. However, she knew what almost happened to the girl. If Keiko knew how to fight, she would've been able to defend herself. Even though the boys that attacked her were supposedly punished, she doubted that they would stop harassing the girl. To top it off, when Ai and Jiro were done in the Land of Waves, Keiko would probably end up leaving with them if she was to pursue a career as a ninja. She would be alone again, and she didn't want that. Yet, she also didn't want to bury the girl because some stupid guy decided to rape and kill a girl that few seemed to want on the island. The next time might not be inexperienced boys, but demented men.

Suzamiya let out a sigh. "I told you before, Keiko, that you are your own person. You answer to yourself now. If you want to be a ninja, that's your decision."

Keiko pouted. "You don't want me to be a ninja, do you?"

"I want you to be safe, happy and home." Suzamiya hugged the girl. "While getting beaten up while training to fight skilled warriors sounds like the exact opposite of that. I don't want you to do it, but I won't stop you."

* * *

Inari seemed to be a bundle of nerves as he knelt before Ai, while Keiko looked at the female ninja with interest.

Ai scratched her head. "Where to start...?"

"How do you make copies of yourself?" Inari asked.

Ai laughed. "That's a HIGH level skill that requires you to split your chakra."

Inari blinked in confusion. "What's chakra?"

"Good question?" Ai's face scrunched up in thought. "...I don't really know myself."

"How did you put holes through solid wood several meters away?" Keiko wondered.

"That's a trick I'm still working on myself. I use elemental chakra to make kunai far stronger," Ai returned.

Jiro emerged from the shadows behind Ai, surprising the two students as they did not know he had been standing there.

"Something you want to say?" Ai asked, without looking at him.

Jiro's frown deepened. "Ai, perhaps it would be best to start them with basic taijutsu and work from there. We can deal with going into chakra usage after they get that down."

Ai smirked at the boy. "You don't know how to describe chakra usage any better than I do."

Jiro folded his arms. "It is a person's energy."

"And how do you mold it?" Ai pressed.

Jiro flushed. "I'd rather not try to explain that yet. I think it would be better to get a textbook from Konoha to avoid any mistakes."

"His scores weren't much better than mine," Ai whispered to her students jokingly.

Jiro scowled at his partner, while their students rolled their eyes wondering why they were trying to learn from apparently low-performing ninja.

* * *

Keiko had never had so much fun in getting sore legs and arms. As she walked back to town with Inari, she laughed at how he described Naruto's exploits. It was good to see the boy's hero wasn't some perfect individual, and was appreciated because Naruto worked to overcome his flaws and any other obstacle he faced.

"Welcome back," Tsunami greeted them with an oddly cold tone. "Inari, why don't you go to the market for me. I've made a list of the things I need."

"Sure." Inari shrugged. He looked at his training partner. "Want to come with me?"

"Actually, there's a couple things I wanted to talk about with her," Tsunami told him. "Perhaps she can stay for diner, but you'll need to get to the shopping."

"Okay!" Inari ran off, taking the shopping list and some money from his mother.

Keiko swallowed nervously. She seriously doubted she would be sharing diner tonight, or any other night, if his mother had anything to say about it.

Tsunami shifted uneasily. "Come inside, Dear."

Keiko followed the woman inside her house. She studied her feet, fearing what the woman would say.

"I think that you should know a few things about Inari," Tsunami began, much to the girl's surprise that he was the topic and not her. "What do you know about Kaiza?"

"Who?" Keiko asked, confused.

Tsunami frowned. "Perhaps I should go back even further. You see, Inari's father died before Inari got to know him. Without a man around, he found it hard to relate to the other boys. You know the bullies, they've been picking on him since they could talk. When one of the pranks the bullies pulled nearly caused Inari to drown, Kaiza saved him.

"Kaiza was a fisherman traveling to find his future and found a reason to stay here. He... He practically adopted Inari as his son before I even thought of making him officially Inari's father." Tsunami looked away, tears welling up in her eyes. "If you had met Kaiza, you would almost swear he was Inari's real father. That man would risk his life to help others. He even saved the town from flooding rains. He did not save the town from Gato." Tsunami spat the ground and then stepped on her salvia as if that name was in it and it was the most vile insect.

"Kaiza was made into an example. Inari had a front row seat as he was forced to watch the man he loved as a father was slowly tortured to death," Tsunami finished.

"You and Inari-sama were hostages, weren't you? If Kaiza-san didn't let himself be killed, you and Inari would've been killed instead," Keiko guessed.

Tsunami looked at the girl with surprise. "How did you know?"

"There were men ready to kill my uncle when I was... initiated into being a prostitute. If I fought against it, he would've died," Keiko explained with a strangely calm tone to her voice.

Tsunami nodded. "We both understand what it means to sacrifice. So does Inari. He's not much more innocent than you are."

"I guess..." Keiko wondered why she was being told all of this.

"I... I would like to keep what little innocence Inari has intact. He knows about death and hard decisions, but he doesn't know anything about sex," Tsunami told her.

"And you don't want me around to teach him," Keiko guessed bitterly.

"I want you around as Inari's FRIEND, but not as his lover... At least not yet. When you're both adults, but not yet." Tsunami walked over to a chair and fell into it more than sat down. "Inari has made me proud in that he's an incredibly good boy. Other mothers wish he was their son. Yet he has few friends, and I have no objection to you being one."

Keiko bowed her head. "I understand. You don't want me to initiate anything between us."

"Yes," Tsunami agreed. "He's still young. Too young to know about some of the things you've done. He knows you were a slave and that you've been deeply hurt, but he doesn't know what they used you for."

"Despite that I know his bloody past, he is not to know about mine?" Keiko asked.

Tsunami shook her head. "When he's older and ready to understand, certainly."

Keiko turned around. "I need a friend right now more than a lover. But I have already decided that while I can't give Inari my virginity, he will be the first and only to have my last virtue... when he's ready to claim it."

Tsunami looked at the departing girl strangely, but then her eyes went wide in realization, likely figuring the girl was referring to her arse.

* * *

Keiko found it odd that while Jiro knew more about how to use chakra, Ai was the better teacher in getting her and Inari to learn a new jutsu. Jiro would make everything sound so complicated, while Ai simply performed the jutsu and gave a rough explanation of how she did it. As such, the jutsu lessons pretty much followed the basic formula of Jiro confusing the hell out of them, Ai simplifying and getting them to roughly perform the jutsu, and then Jiro getting them to perfect it.

Life developed into it's own little routine with her daily training marking the most important part. She could see the progress she was making.

Even though life was developing a pattern, there were still surprises that came along. Considering the rumors of Ai and Jiro's relationship, she was perhaps the only one to know that the two of them didn't truly become lovers until late December. The two had worked together for months, but until that day at the start of winter they seemed to avoid looking at each other. Now the two would steal glances at each other, particularly the places clothes almost always covered up.

Then there had been the time when a group of Konoha ninja arrived. That allowed Keiko and Inari to get a first hand look at real ninja fighting. The battle between Konoha and the Mist was a terrible sight to behold, especially as it was to the death. Inari got to view much of Jiro's fight with the water element master. Keiko had seen a different battle.

Tenten fought against a man who boasted about raping Yamiko and then selling the woman into prostitution. No matter how much the disgusting man threatened Tenten with doing the same thing to her, the Konoha ninja didn't get angry. Keiko, however, had roared with an anger she didn't know she had. She picked up some of the numerous kunai that Tenten had used in the fight and launched her own attack. It had been horribly sloppy, but it served its purpose. The disgusting Mist Ninja was distracted just enough for Tenten to land several disabling blows, rendering the man unable to fight as bladed weapons sank into his arms and legs.

Keiko walked up to the man. "T-This is... something... I-I've wanted... to do to the man... who took me!"

"Don't!" Tenten cried out.

It was too late for the ninja to stop Keiko. One borrowed kunai sank below his waist, a second one plunged into his neck.

"You... You shouldn't have done that. He was defeated," Tenten told the girl.

Keiko clenched her fists tightly. "Trash like him doesn't deserve to live. He's just like the garbage who made me into a prostitute. I didn't want to be used for sex. Yamiko never did, either. He doesn't see girls as people, but as slaves. He deserves worse than this!"

Tenten hugged the now crying girl. "Bury your anger with him. You got your revenge for Yamiko, don't let such a thing cloud your reason again."

* * *

Tenten took the 'credit' for killing the Mist ninja and Keiko didn't feel like announcing her accomplishment, either. Not even Inari knew what she had done. It was just another pain for her to endure. It still surprised her how easy it was to end a person's life, to sink a blade into their body. However simple the act of killing might be, living with it proved much more difficult than Keiko had imagined.

That night, for the first time since her virginity was taken, Keiko did not dream of being raped but of killing the Mist ninja and everyone else. Becoming a remorseless killer slaughtering everyone. She awoke in a cold sweat and crying. She found herself crying into her adoptive mother's arms.

* * *

Keiko rarely went anywhere without Inari. Since their ninja training began, he was a constant companion to her. It was rare for her to be in the market without him. She had long suspected the friendly greetings they had given her was only due to Inari's presence. Yet the friendly greetings were still present even though she was alone today. The looks of pity or disgust were no longer there.

Keiko wondered if it was just true for her, or if the other former slaves were also being treated better. She spotted them shopping and saw that while people didn't avoid the girls or look upon them with some form of distaste, they weren't being treated as kindly as she had been. Particularly Tomoyo, but she wasn't exactly a 'former' prostitute, and received an icier reception from the women than the men. It left her to wonder why people changed the way they viewed them. Was it mere acceptance of their presence, or did they just forget about the uncomfortable past?

"Hi, I'm Ayashi," a girl suddenly announced.

Keiko blinked and looked uncertainly at the girl, vaguely remembering her as the girl who had skinny-dipped with Inari months ago. "Ah, hi... I'm Keiko."

"I know!" Ayashi beamed. "You're Inari's girlfriend."

Keiko's face went red. "I-I-I-I'm n-n-not his g-g-g-girlfriend." She wanted to be, she almost blurted. She just didn't know what Inari's feelings about her were.

"Puh-lease." Ayashi made a funny face. "Inari has never been close to anyone."

"I, er, w-well, t-t-that is..." Keiko fidgeted. Did he really like her? Why was she so bothered by her questions?

A woman began to laugh. "It's good to see you did not live up to our fears."

"Fears?" Ayashi wondered.

"N-nothing for you to be c-concerned about," Keiko managed, hating how she stuttered when she got nervous.

The woman smiled. "Exactly."

Ayashi pouted. "Is this a 'when you are older' thing?"

"I don't know if you'll ever be 'old enough' to know," Keiko muttered darkly.

Ayashi scowled. "Why am I too young for everything? You're not that much older than me!"

"I'm too young to know what I know," Keiko retorted. "And I wish I didn't know."

"So, you're not going to tell me if Inari is a good kisser, are you?" Ayashi shot at her.

Keiko took a step back. "W-w-we haven't k-k-k-k..."

"Why not?!" Ayashi demanded. "You like him, don't you? And he likes you?"

The woman put her hand on her daughter's head. "That's enough, dear. Things aren't so simple for Keiko-chan."

Ayashi folded her arms. "Fine. Want to play a game?"

"A game?" Keiko wondered, looking at the girl's mother questioningly.

"It's okay. Just don't be out too long," the woman told Keiko more than her daughter.

"Yes, Mom," Ayashi growled before grabbing Keiko by the hand and dragging her off.

* * *

Keiko groggily awoke from bed and began to pull herself away from the mattress when she felt something moist on her nightshirt. Inspecting her clothing she found blood staining the shirt and at the crotch of her undergarment. Her heart raced and her eyes lost focus as she began to scream.

"Dear, what's the matter?" her foster mother questioned, rushing to the girl's side.

"Someone took me last night!" Keiko cried out. "I'm stained again!"

Suzamiya made the girl look her straight into her eyes. "Keiko, look at me. Nothing of the sort happened last night. I was here the whole time. Your clothes have not been removed. No one touched you."

"B-but I-I-I-I'm b-b-bleeding there," Keiko sobbed. She had bled on several occasions from the violations she suffered as a prostitute, especially during her early days or when well endowed men had used her.

"I know, Dear. That's natural. A bit sooner than it should be, but natural," Suzamiya tried to sooth her.

"What do you mean, 'natural?' I-I'm b-bleeding!" Keiko protested.

"I bleed there at times, as well. All women do. And now you're fully one as well," Suzamiya told her gently.

"What do you mean?" Keiko wondered in confusion.

Suzamiya smiled and pulled the girl onto her lap. "When most girls experience their first bleeding, they are told more about how to deal with the monthly visitor and less about what it means."

Keiko blinked a few tears out of her eyes. "W-what does it m-mean?"

Suzamiya didn't immediately reply, but finally said, "That you can now become pregnant."

Keiko's eyes widened before gazing at the floor. She then gave a short laugh. "So some of the men who bought my time would no longer want me, huh? I'm too old for them."

Suzamiya closed her eyes. "That's one way to put it."

"And I really should try to keep some distance from Inari. As much as I like him, I'd be as prepared for motherhood as much as Ai is. Not at all." Keiko clutched onto her foster mother.

Suzamiya hugged her tightly. "That's good to hear." The woman then blinked. "Ai's pregnant?"

Keiko nodded with a slight smirk. "Yeah. I don't know who's the bigger basket case, her or Jiro. Neither of them knows what to do. You should've seen Ai asking Inari's mother all sorts of questions. A couple of them made me wonder if she was a real girl considering how stupid they were."

"I suspect those were asked because she was scared out of her mind," Suzamiya suggested.

"I figured as much." Keiko shrugged before pouting. "Does cramps have anything to do with the bleeding?"

Suzamiya nodded. "All too often it does."

"And it's supposed to happen every month?" Keiko pressed.

"Roughly, though most girls can't count on it happening at any regular time." Suzamiya gave a wry smile. "It usually happens at the absolute worse times. Like my wedding."

"This stinks." Keiko huffed.

* * *

-

The image of Jiraiya cowering on top of a chair would never leave Shizune's mind, and she would smile at the memory of it for years to come. However funny the scene was, it highlighted the issue of the jutsu and the inherent weakness of it.

Shizune knew Jiraiya to be a proud ninja and there was no way two young ninja cadets could possibly make him nervous, let alone afraid. Keiko's memories did not show the truth of the situation. Just as how she remembered the situation was different from reality, someone could intentionally slip false information.

Shizune didn't believe the girl was hiding anything, though there was a lack of detail with certain events, particularly her time as a prostitute. It wasn't that the girl was covering it up, but rather burying it to avoid dealing with it emotionally.

-

* * *

"We'll be leaving in six months. You'll have to decide whether you want to stay here or come with us to become full-fledged ninja."

Those words hung over Inari like a thick cloud ever since Jiro uttered them after the perverted ninja had left. It would ultimately be his decision, Keiko had decided. If he stayed, so would she. Honestly, she wanted to go, but if he was to ask her she would give no answer. She knew all to well the pain of leaving the life you knew for a new one. He, at least, got to choose.

For days Inari seemed to get increasingly moody. She reminded him that he had six months to choose, but that didn't seem to help him. The upcoming second anniversary of the completion of the Great Naruto Bridge didn't lighten his spirits. Not even learning a new jutsu would cheer him up as it had so many times before.

Though the summer solstice had come and passed a few weeks ago, the town barely recognized that day beyond beginning the countdown to Bridge Day. As the anniversary grew nearer, the town increasingly took a festival atmosphere. The town's population even swelled as ships came in and people crossed the bridge to experience the new yearly celebration.

Keiko was rather surprised that an hour before dawn on Bridge Day to find Inari at her bedroom door. "What is it?"

"Hurry up and get dressed. It's important," Inari told her.

"What is?" Keiko wondered groggily, not even questioning his presence inside her home.

"Just hurry up!" Inari insisted.

Keiko shook her head and got changed without bothering to close her door. She was fussing with her hair as she left her room and found Inari blushing. She wondered if he had peaked at her, but was really too tired to care if he had. He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her along.

Their destination soon became apparent as they made their way to the Great Naruto Bridge. It surprised Keiko to see a number of people waiting there. Even stranger was that they waved and cheered as Inari guided her across the bridge.

Keiko pouted as she tried to see anything, but the morning mist from the ocean water made it difficult to see the bridge they were standing on, let alone anything beyond it. She could really only see Inari. Her questions were ignored as they made the long trek. She was suddenly caught by surprise when she felt dirt beneath her feet and the mists parted to reveal trees up ahead. In the entire time she had been living in the Land of Waves, she had never set foot on the other side of the bridge.

"Welcome to the Country of Fire," Inari finally spoke.

Keiko huffed. "Are you going to tell me why you dragged me out here?"

Inari let go of her hand and walked away from her. "It was two years ago that I made the first trip across the completed bridge." He let out a short laugh. "Grandpa had sent a message to come see him right away. I was very nervous with the mist as I wasn't sure where the bridge ended. It was quite the surprise when I stepped on this soil and learned the bridge was finally complete. While the bridge didn't officially open until noon, I was the first person to cross it arriving here just before dawn."

As if on cue, the sun began to peak over the horizon and started to chase away the mists.

"So, is this some sort of ritual for you?" Keiko asked with a small smile.

Inari scratched the back of his head. "Wasn't supposed to be. Last year Grandpa made me do the walk again. This year... I wanted to take you on it."

"So that's why there were people cheering for you," Keiko surmised.

Inari nodded. "Yeah." He then began to fidget.

Keiko looked at him curiously. "Is there something else?"

"Are you going with Ai-sensei and Jiro-sensei?" Inari blurted out.

Keiko frowned. "Inari... I will do whatever you decided."

"Why?" Inari asked.

Keiko blinked. "What do you mean 'why?'"

Inari began to pace in front of her. "You want to go, don't you? You want to make something of your life, and you're very good at being a ninja."

"You're very good as well. We don't need to be Konoha ninja to protect this town," Keiko reminded.

"Protecting the town won't necessarily put food on your plate. You could try joining law enforcement, but they've never allowed girls to work for them before," Inari pointed out harshly.

Keiko's hand clutched over her heart. "Are you... Are you telling me to go to Konoha alone... without you?"

"I didn't say that!" Inari waved his arms wildly.

"What are you saying?" Keiko pressed on the verge of tears.

"I don't know what I'm saying!" Inari spat in frustration. "I just don't know."

"Inari, I told you before, you don't have to decide yet. We've still got six months," Keiko reminded.

"It's not about Konoha!" Inari suddenly sagged. "I... I think it's more about... well... us."

"What do you mean?" Keiko asked, confused.

Inari seemed to tense up. "Ah, to hell with it. I just can't say it." He then stomped up to Keiko, grabbed her by the head and kissed her.

Keiko's eyes were initially wide with shock, but then relaxed and gave into the feeling of his lips engulfing her own. He obviously never kissed someone before. At least not this way. She wrapped her arms around him, enjoying the contact more than any kiss she had been forced to endure before. As his hands began to wander, excitement and anxiety gripped her. As much as she wanted to continue this, she doubted this was the right time or place. She pulled away and smiled coyly at him. "Is that your way of saying you love me?"

Inari flushed while panting form breath. "Ah... well... kinda. I was going to ask you to the dance tonight... as my girlfriend."

Keiko giggled as she pulled him into a hug, resting her head onto his chest. "Yes, I'll go with you."

Inari broke the tender moment, asking, "So, do you want to go to Konoha?"

"I want to be with you, Inari. Here or in Konoha, I want to be with you," Keiko insisted.

Inari laughed a little. "Keiko, we're not in the Land of Waves now. We're in Fire Country which is protected by Konoha."

"You know that's not what I meant," Keiko retorted.

Inari kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, but it shows my answer. I'm going with Ai-sensei to Konoha. I want to be a real ninja with you by my side."

"Always, Inari. Always," Keiko promised.

"Isn't that so sweet," a voice called out.

The young couple immediately jumped away from each other and began to stammer. The man who interrupted them merely laughed as he walked past them to walk across the bridge.

* * *

Spending most of his days training, Inari had almost completely stopped his daily walk through town to see if anyone needed help with anything. Since Ai's advanced pregnancy now severely limited her ability to move, she took a different path to work on their training. With what she called 'D-ranked missions,' she would take them out to do tasks that Inari had done before his ninja training. Now it was a little different as Ai would impose rules to push them to take the tasks as more training than as a job. Rodent hunting, for example, either got a time limit or was marked as a competition with a reward to the one who got the most kills.

Keiko hoped that today's task of dredging mud out of the town's drainage system wouldn't take too long, especially as she was sure that it wasn't all mud clogging it up. At least she didn't have to touch it. Neither did Inari for that matter, though it was his task to do most of the work, using water element jutsu to break apart and push the blocking gunk towards the ocean.

Jiro jumped down in front of them, panic alight on his face.

"What's going on?" Ai questioned.

"Have you seen me? I mean Hinata?" Jiro blurted out.

Ai blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about? How can you lose... HER?"

"I don't know!" Jiro's eyes jumped everywhere. "I was practicing jutsu and well, she up and left."

"That's not possible!" Ai retorted.

"I know that, but she still ran off saying something about not wanting to disappear again," Jiro insisted.

"This is just great!" Ai palmed her face. "I've been wondering if we've become different people but now it looks like you literally have."

"What's going on? Who is Hinata?" Keiko wondered.

Ai frowned. They had said too much in front of their students. "Someone who is far too complicated to explain. The important part is finding Hinata before someone sees her that isn't supposed to." She turned toward the father of her unborn child. "Where would Hinata go to?"

"She might head for Konoha, but there's no way she would last long enough to make it all the way there," Jiro guessed. "I've got shadows looking for her at the port and the bridge, but none have seen her yet."

Ai growled. "If you can't figure out where she went, no one can."

Jiro frowned. "It might be because she knows me too well and can avoid me better than I can figure her out."

"If that's the case, then she knows me too damned much as well." Ai folded her arms. "Keiko, Inari... you've got yourself a... B-rank mission, I guess. You are to track down and land a solid hit on a girl with white eyes."

"All girls have white in their eyes," Inari pointed out.

"I mean completely white, with no other color at all," Ai corrected.

"And watch out if the veins on her face are visibly throbbing," Jiro added. "And don't ask anyone if they've seen her. The eyes are part of a bloodline limit that would attract the wrong kind of attention if Mist ninja were to learn of her."

"Is it like your eyes when they go red?" Keiko wondered.

"Or the weird shapes in Jiro's when he fought the Mist Ninja?" Inari added.

Ai slapped her forehead. "We've got a lot of explaining to do later. But the mission comes first. Find and hit Hinata. Go."

With a nod to Inari, they left, hopefully in full ninja fashion of disappearing from sight.

"Where would I be if I want to hide, particularly from Ai-sensei and Jiro-sensei?" Keiko asked herself.

"Some place they wouldn't think of going to. But where would that be? They go pretty much everywhere on the island," Inari pointed out.

Keiko thought about that. "Where wouldn't they normally go?" She then blinked. "The women's bath!"

"Huh?" Inari looked at her strangely.

"Ai-sensei has some sort of aversion to the baths and Jiro-sensei would never go to the women's side. And if I wanted to escape, I'd want to be somewhere comfortable," Keiko theorized.

Inari flushed. "Well, I, ah... guess."

Keiko sighed. "Just use the distraction technique Ai-sensei showed us when we started to learn genjutsu."

Inari laughed. "Yeah..."

Keiko scowled at him. "And keep your eyes off any girl besides me or the target."

Inari nodded a bit too much. "Okay. Ah, guess I should change now. Henge."

Keiko appraised his female appearance. He could now pass for her older sister. At least he left the clothes on the illusionary body. However, once they entered the bathhouse and Inari was out of sight, the clothes were taken off his female image. She didn't use genjutsu, having issues with that brand of ninja arts. She shed her clothes and set them aside.

It had been a long time that Keiko had been conscious about her body. She held no qualms showing dozens of men and women her nakedness when she was freed from the slave ship. Now she had to wonder what Inari thought of her. Since Bridge Day, a few weeks ago, they had gone on little dates after their daily training, but they had done nothing but talk and kiss. Now he was seeing all of her, and she could tell he liked what he was seeing even through his illusion.

Keiko had to guide Inari into the baths as his eyes were firmly locked on her body. She suspected her own talk with Inari would be needed soon. And that filled her with dread. She wasn't ready to tell him, and doubted he was ready to know about her past. She just hoped this wouldn't be giving him too many thoughts.

Scanning the baths, Keiko initially thought showing Inari her body had been for nothing. There wasn't anyone in the baths. At least he wasn't seeing any other naked girls. A ripple of water caught her attention and her eyes locked onto strangely scared girl half-hidden in the far side of the baths.

"Please, just give me a little more time," Hinata pleaded.

Keiko folded her arms. "Why does Ai-sensei and Jiro-sensei want us to hit you?"

Hinata sank into the water until her mouth was barely over the surface. Keiko might have thought it was to cover up a jutsu of some sort, yet the shyness was all too real to her. The white-eyed girl didn't even look up at them as she spoke, "In a way, you could say I was Jiro."

"What do you mean by that?" Keiko insisted. She spared a look at her boyfriend and ninja partner and doubted he even registered Hinata's presence as his eyes were glued on her and filled with lust.

"As far as Konoha is concerned, Jiro never existed. He shouldn't have existed. With my eyes, I could not be used as a guard as I would be a target. Tsunade, the leader of Konoha, placed a special jutsu upon me so I might protect... my special person. That jutsu gave me the body that is now Jiro. However, as time went on, Jiro became less and less of me. Now, even though we should be the same person... we're not," Hinata told them barely over a whisper.

"Wait, are you saying Jiro was YOU and YOU got Ai-sensei pregnant?!" Keiko cried out.

Hinata made ripples in the water as she nodded. "In a sense, yes. Though I was supposed to be the mother, not the father."

Inari finally stopped looking at his girlfriend long enough to ask his own question, "How could Ai be a father?"

Hinata didn't answer them.

"Let's just hit her and be done with it," Keiko growled. "None of what she says makes sense. There's no way it's possible that Jiro-sensei is really this girl."

"You've heard too much as it is," Ai grumbled as she waddled up behind her students.

Hinata's face turned bright red. "N-N-Na-Naruto-kun..."

"Say WHAT?!" Inari cried out.

Ai pouted. "Hinata-chan... I'm sorry."

"I-I-I know you didn't mean to, well, kill me like this," Hinata muttered.

"You're not dead!" Ai protested.

"Aren't I? W-will you be changing back to Naruto when this is over with and let me be the mother I should've been?" Hinata wondered with a bit of dread.

"I can't answer that. At least not yet." Ai looked away. Her eyes then widened. "You're alive now! And Jiro can still let you out during training. It's not like you're going to disappear, right? You can still be a part of our lives."

"Only as a shadow. One hit and I-I-I'm g-g-g-gone. B-banished into Jiro's head as if I never existed even though he's the fake," Hinata began to sob. "I l-l-loved Naruto-kun enough to give up everything, but is he even alive anymore, or is it just Ai now?"

"I honestly don't know." Ai closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Hinata-chan."

With a cloud of smoke and water slapping against itself to fill the area the shadow clone had displaced, Hinata was gone. She had been dispelled without a hit, as if the shadow had run from Ai the only way she could. It was the disappearance that finally made Keiko even consider that Hinata's story might be true.

"What was that all about?" Keiko demanded.

Ai looked sadly at her. "For now, the reason you won't be learning Kage Bunshin."

Inari looked at the girl intently. "Are you really... Naruto?"

Ai smirked at him. "What happened to your little crossbow?"

Inari blinked. "Shiiiiit."

"And you just stepped deep into it." Ai sighed. "Come on, let's get back at cleaning up the literal shit in the drains."

* * *

-

Keiko blinked. "I wasn't supposed to tell you about that. When I met Tsunade-sama a few days later, she ordered us not to tell anyone. This is part of that jutsu, isn't it?"

Shizune rubbed her forehead. "I'm sorry I'm prying so much. However, it is part of my job and I knew about Jiro and Hinata's personalities splitting already. I am Tsunade-sama's personal assistant and the only person she trusts to tell me about her pet projects. Especially ones she couldn't tell Sakura-chan about."

Keiko pouted at the woman. "How much more prodding are you going to do?"

Shizune frowned. "Only enough to make sure I know where you stand."

"Y-y-you're not going to do this to I-Inari, are you?" Keiko questioned.

"Yes and no. Inari's past is less in doubt than yours. But we will have to check to be careful. Spies are the most damaging single person threat we face. At the right place, a spy can do as much damage as a full army of ninja, so we must be careful," Shizune explained.

Keiko bowed her head. "So, you're going to do it to him, just not as much."

"Right." Shizune frowned. "I believe it'd be best for both of us if we finish this soon."

-

* * *

It was a few days after learning that Ai was in fact Naruto that Inari overcame his shock. The after-mission dates began anew. They would go for walks and talk about stuff. She didn't tell him about her past, as she was too afraid of how he'd react. The fact that when they kissed that their hands never found bare flesh made her believe he wasn't ready for it. She decided that, once he tried to go beyond kissing, she would tell him.

Caked with mud from their last mission of finding a lost dog on a hot and humid August afternoon, the pair opted to go to one of the island's fresh water ponds to freshen up. Sweat caused the mud to slide down their faces and the water looked very cool and inviting.

"Let's take a quick swim," Keiko suggested, discarding her muddied clothes. She didn't mind showing him her body. He had seen her naked before and he was her boyfriend, after all.

Inari grinned goofily. "Right!" He quickly shed what he wore, as well.

They dipped their clothes into the pond to wash much of the mud off them that they could. Inari even tired helping with the more stubborn spots by setting the clothes on a rock in turn and blasting them with water using his elemental jutsu. After hanging their now soaked clothes on nearby tree branches, they finally dove into the pond.

At first it was rather relaxing, enjoying the cool water washing away the heat and stress of the day. That ended when Inari sent a wave of water at her.

"What was that for?" Keiko demanded.

"Let's have a water fight," Inari suggested with a grin.

"No way! That's not fair!" Keiko protested.

Inari swam closer to her. "I guess... I just wanted to do something with you." He pulled her into a loose hug and kissed her.

Keiko rather liked the kiss, especially now that she had taught him how to do it right. Before, when his hands would move to her ass, it had been covered. Now all he felt was bare flesh against his hand. But she didn't stop him, even as he began to feel around. In fact, the heat of their actions was making it hard to think. Rarely had she felt so hot. Even the best of the men who had sex with her didn't make her feel quite this way.

Keiko was uncertain when it happened, or who had taken the step. It might've even been an accident. She still didn't stop what they were doing, even though Inari was no longer a virgin and she had promised herself to tell him of her past before that happened.

Inari gazed at her with wonder and, she hoped, love. His inexperience was a strange delight to her. She had to set the tempo and position so they could both enjoy it. She was certain he did as the encounter came to an end with a throaty moan from him and her squeals of pleasure began to subside.

They held onto each other as everything began to calm down. Keiko wasn't sure why, but she began to cry.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Inari asked, suddenly scared.

Keiko shook her head. "No... Inari... I love you. No matter what happens... remember that I love you."

"I... ah..." Inari swallowed. "I feel the same way."

Keiko giggled through her tears and after a long moment final stopped crying. She knew she had to tell him about her past, but the setting sun gave her an excuse to delay it. They needed to get home for supper.

* * *

"Inari... I need to tell you something," Keiko announced as she lay naked and beneath him on his bed. Her promise to give him her second virginity now fulfilled. In the past couple days she had tried to muster the courage to tell him, but when they had the time and moment... she ended up having sex with him, instead. As pure as their first time had been, she was beginning to think the filth of her past was infecting Inari. She even felt dirty when she had sex with him.

"What is it, Keiko?" Inari whispered into her ear.

"I-I-I-I... d-d-don't know where to b-b-begin..." Keiko began to stutter.

"Why are you so nervous?" Inari asked.

Tears began to form in Keiko's eyes. "B-b-b-because I-I-I don't w-want to l-l-lose you."

"You'll never lose me. Especially now." Inari emphasized his point by touching her between her legs.

"I-I-Inari... y-y-you n-n-not the-"

"GET AWAY FROM THAT SLUT!"

"What?! Mom?!" Inari jumped in surprise and stared in shock at his mother.

"You don't know what she is, do you? Men paid her to do what you just did with her! She's a fucking prostitute! You'll never be certain if her children are yours!" Tsunami ranted.

The bed bounced and Keiko was gone. She was out of the house before Inari could even finish calling out her name. She belatedly realized her clothes were still at his house, but it didn't matter. If she didn't want to be found, only 'Hinata' would be able to find her. And where she was going, she didn't need clothes anyway. With a thunderous splash, Keiko landed in the waters of the bathhouse. Her tears wouldn't stop flowing.

Keiko didn't know how long it was before she heard her name called. She looked up and saw Hinata looking at her with mixed emotions.

"Inari-kun is looking for you," Hinata told her.

"I-I-I c-c-can't s-s-see h-h-him l-l-like t-this," Keiko stuttered out. "H-he knows a-a-about m-m-me."

Hinata closed her eyes for a second. "If you're willing to die for him, you should be willing to face this as well. You're not going to lose what you have because of your fear, are you? You don't want to end up like me. A lingering ghost of a girl who could kill a man in battle, but had no courage in the face of her love."

Keiko looked at the girl. In an odd way, Hinata was a kindred soul. She could fighting a horde of men and stand in a raging typhoon without fear despite what had been taken from her, yet facing Inari now with her past open to him... she was scared beyond measure.

Hinata bent down and reached out. "I know you're afraid of losing Inari. However, if you don't face him now, you will have lost him."

"I'll see him," Keiko promised. She then flushed. "Um, do you have some clothes? I left them at Inari's house."

Hinata's eyes went wide. "You and Inari..." She began to sway back and forth and seemed to faint before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

"Great. What do I do now?" Keiko muttered.

* * *

Ai came to Keiko's rescue with fresh clothes for her. However as each step they took, the more nervous she became. As soon as she saw the boy with Jiro, she wanted to run. Before she could get a step away, Inari grabbed her in a fierce hug.

"Don't ever leave me. Especially not over my mother's lies," Inari told her.

"S-She w-wasn't l-l-lying. I-I-I w-was a p-p-prostitute," Keiko managed to confess.

"WAS," Inari stressed. "You aren't one now, right?"

Keiko shook her head fiercely as she fought back her tears. "No! I wouldn't go back to that... I-I-Inari... I-I'm sorry... I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you... that men u-u-used me. I should have told you. But I couldn't... I didn't want you to h-h-hate me. Even after we... m-m-made love... I-I-I didn't want to lose you."

Inari held her tighter. "I'd never hate you. Never."

Keiko began to sob. "It's why... I had you... use my... rear. No one else had done me there. You were the first then. I wish you were my first with everything... I've been with so many-"

Inari silenced her with a kiss. "That's the past. It doesn't matter now. You're MY Keiko and that's all that matters."

Keiko buried her head against his chest, tears flowing from her as if to wash away the pain and hurt of her past.

"Are you a little freaked out, too?" Ai groused.

"Ah... yeah..." Jiro agreed.

"So says the guy who got knocked up by a girl," Inari quipped.

* * *

"What does she freaking want?" Inari cried out.

"Who knows?" Keiko retorted.

"Still having trouble with your mother?" Jiro asked, approaching the dock with Ai.

"Mom said I need to be an adult before I can be with Keiko," Inari growled. "I've already had sex with her. I've got a job helping out the town. What else does she want?"

"Life to be simple," Ai commented with a grin.

"Like that's going to happen," Keiko groused.

"Hate to see what Mom says when I tell her I'm going to Konoha," Inari grumbled.

"You haven't told her?" Jiro asked in surprise.

"Didn't want to deal with her telling me no." Inari folded his arms. "I'm going with Keiko, whether my Mom approves or not."

"Well, once you're a genin, you'll be considered an adult anyway," Ai commented while shaking her head.

"This is not going to be good," Jiro muttered.

* * *

Keiko looked at Inari strangely while he was pounding a board into one of the neighboring shacks to Ai and Jiro's home. "What are you doing?"

"Mom knows I plan to go to Konoha," Inari replied bitterly. "She told me that if I live under her roof, I'll have to abide by her rules. So I'm moving out."

"How are you going to eat?" Keiko questioned seriously.

"Besides the hair clips I got for you, I haven't spent the money Ai gave us for our 'missions.' Wanted to hold onto it until we got a place in Konoha," Inari grumbled.

Keiko sighed. That would mean they would be relying on the money she had saved. Not exactly a good prospect.

Inari smiled a little. "You know, you could live here with me."

Keiko pouted. "Sorry... but we're only going to be here a few more months. As much as I don't want to burden Suzamiya-Okasan, she wants me to. I'm already going to be leaving her. Do you know what I'm saying?"

Inari shook his head. "Not really. You don't want to leave your mom alone just yet?"

Keiko nodded. "Yes."

Inari sighed. "That's fine. You can still visit often." He went back to repairing the shack by prying off a broken board in order to replace it.

Keiko began to move to help him when Jiro appeared before them and ordered, "Hurry and get everyone in town to the shelters. A typhoon is coming!"

A shiver ran down Keiko's spine. She leapt on top of one of the shacks and looked towards the south. She didn't see anything on the horizon, but she felt the air and listened to the sky. The air was abnormally calm and there wasn't a bird to be heard. She strained her eyes as a black line began to form toward the south. She leapt back down. "We've got maybe two hours before the storm hits."

Keiko and Inari shared a small smile as they watched Jiro run off carrying Ai, who was complaining quite vocally.

* * *

Sitting inside the crowded jailhouse wasn't uncomfortable because of where it was, but because Keiko was stuck there with Inari's mother and grandfather. Though his grandfather seemed more amused than anything when Inari made her sit on his lap. Not that they had any room for her to sit anywhere else. His mother, however, wouldn't look at her.

"I think it's high time you stopped being so silly," Suzamiya told Inari's mother.

Tsunami glared at her. "Silly?"

"You're not upset at Keiko for what she does with Inari-kun, but because he's going to leave you," Suzamiya stated evenly.

"This is not the place for this," Tsunami hissed.

"When else will you talk about it?" Suzamiya returned. "You've been running away from this. Now you can't run."

"She's right, you know," Tazuna added. "You don't want to lose Inari. However, you're pushing him away. If you keep this up, you won't have the few months he has left here."

"I'm not letting him go!" Tsunami retorted. "He's too young! He belongs here!"

"Dear, you can't make him stay." Tazuna sighed. "And just what is he going to do if he stayed here? Become just a law enforcer? Holding onto him will deny him the chance to be what he wants to be, to deny him the chance to reach his full potential. It's his life and he has a right to choose his own path."

Tsunami almost growled in frustrated anger. "I'm supposed to stand aside when he's making mistakes? Keiko is--"

Ai interrupted. "A great girl who loves your son dearly. She hasn't even looked at another guy. You know that. Sure, they're young. If Jiro had more courage when we were students, or if my first love wasn't blindly obsessed with someone else, I might've had sex at their age."

"A ship just collided with the Great Naruto Bridge!" a man announced at the door to jailhouse.

Without a word, Keiko and Inari left the relative safety of the thick, stone building and leapt into the typhoon.

* * *

Keiko held a rope attached to the sinking ship, waiting for the men behind her to secure it so that the people onboard the ship could use it climb off of the ship.

The howling winds and driving rain did bring some unwanted memories to the girl, but she had a mission to perform and wouldn't let it distract her from saving the sailors.

"Line is secure!" a man shouted.

Keiko nodded and let electricity discharge quickly from her hand to send a flash of light to the people on the ship to signal to start climbing. She spotted Inari on the ship working to keep it afloat longer using his element jutsu at a level he had never attempted before, by pushing water away from the hole in the hull.

The bridge suddenly shifted, nearly causing Keiko to fall. She stared in horror as a crack began to form near the support pillar that the ship had struck. There was a lot of yelling from the ship, but the wind made their words impossible to hear. They were pointing at the pillar.

Keiko hopped onto the rope line and ran down it, careful to avoid stepping on the hands and legs of the men climbing it. She quickly moved to Inari's side. "The whole thing is cracking!"

"That support beam broke lose!" Inari yelled over the wind. "I'm going to have to go up there and secure it!"

"With this wind?" Keiko shot at him. "There's no way we can climb up there and do repairs!"

"I have to try, you make sure these men get to safety," Inari retorted.

"How about you tell me what to do and I'll fix it," Jiro told them with a commanding tone.

"The 'what' is simple, securing that beam back to the support pillar. The 'how' is something that would take time and experience to do," Inari retorted. "Besides, if something goes wrong, you've got a baby coming soon."

"Inari..." Jiro growled.

"Would welding it into place work?" Keiko asked.

"Sure, it would, but I don't have the tools." Inari began to look around. "I'll need some rope, nails and a hammer."

Keiko leapt away, acting as if to help him, but knowing she couldn't let him do it. Taking a better vantage point next to the ship's steering wheel, she spied where the bridge was damaged. She raised one hand to the sky and pointed with the other hand at the broken support beam. Changing the polarity in her body as she would for her jutsu, she felt her hair stand on end before the world flashed blue. Her eyes went blurry as she saw the now glowing hot beam was now attached to the pillar.

The last thing she heard after channeling the lightning bolt at the bridge was, "KEI-"

* * *

"I'm not leaving her," Inari growled.

"I'm not going to ask you to do that," Tsunami replied softly.

"Then why are you here?" Inari hissed.

Keiko opened her heavy eyelids and saw the mother and son at the door of her room.

"Inari... I'm sorry..." Tsunami shook her head. "I... I really should be saying that to her."

Inari blinked in surprise. "Mom?"

"Your Grandfather and Suzamiya were right. I was not upset at her, but what she represents." Tsunami placed her hands on his shoulders. "I shouldn't have to say good-bye to you. I don't want to. Yet, you've grown into a man before I knew it. I love you, and I never want to lose you."

"Mom... I, ah... well, me, too... I just..." Inari trailed off.

"You want to be a ninja, and that means going to Konoha." Tsunami sighed.

"More than that, I want to be with Keiko. If she wanted to stay here, I would have." Inari looked out the window. "She made me choose. I want to be more than I am. To be able to help people who really need it."

Tsunami pulled him into a hug. "I know, dear. Even though I don't want you to go, I'm proud of you."

"I'll come back," Inari pledged. "I'll make a hidden village here to train others and protect the Land of Waves."

Tsunami smiled. "You do that."

"You're forgiven," Keiko croaked out.

Inari immediately jumped to her side. "Are you okay?!"

"What happened?" Keiko asked.

"You shot a lightning bolt at the support beam! What were you thinking? You almost died!" Inari shouted at her.

"I didn't want you to risk your life securing that beam," Keiko retorted weakly.

Inari hugged her. "Don't ever do something so stupid again."

"Only if you promise not to do stupid stuff either," Keiko returned.

"Keiko..." Inari hissed.

"Tired..." Keiko whispered, her eyes growing heavy. She felt Inari lying down next to her as she drifted off to sleep, content in knowing that soon she would be spending her nights with him in Konoha.

* * *

-

"Inari's mother may have forgiven me, but she still didn't like the situation. She only accepted that she couldn't change it," Keiko sighed. "She certainly made sure I was on hand for when Ai gave birth and strongly suggested I helped care for Shinobu while Ai recovered." The girl smirked. "It backfired. I want to be a mother now. Especially as Suzamiya-Okasan promised she would happily raise my children. She even moved with us and is petitioning for a place for us to live."

Shizune shook her head. "Should I have a wedding license ready for you?"

Keiko blinked. "We can get married?"

"Genin are legally adults in Konoha, with all the rights," Shizune pointed out.

Keiko nodded. "Please do... And please drop Inari the hint to ask."

"I'll try." Shizune laughed. "You can send him in."

Keiko pouted. "Please don't use that jutsu on him."

"We'll see," Shizune failed to promise.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Between Deception and Truth 13 - Shinobu  
No one ever said childbirth was easy. Some even call it a battle. For Ai and Jiro, it literally becomes the fight of their lives.


	14. Shinobu

Between Deception and Truth

Chapter 13 - Shinobu

By: Lord Archive

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

Tsunade looked over her intertwined fingers. "There was at least one other incident that occurred before Shinobu's birth."

Jiro shifted uneasily. "I, er... thought we were to keep that a secret."

"As it holds a strong baring on your future, this cannot be ignored," Tsunade retorted.

"Besides, it's not like it won't come out soon," Ai added.

"What are you talking about?" Sakura wondered.

Tsunade picked up an apple from the fruit bowl that had been brought in for them to snack on. "Every baby's soul starts out smooth and flawless. As they grow into children, they receive bumps and bruises." She emphasized her words by squeezing the fruit, leaving dents into it. "These flaws help shape who we are. However, there are some things that leave deeper scars." She plunged her fingernail into the apple, cracking it. "Some people just feel they have another person inside themselves from this kind of injury. I believe you are aware of that, Sakura."

Sakura flinched, but then nodded.

"While the damage may not fully go away without proper healing, most who experience extreme childhood trauma can remain emotionally healthy. Repeated trauma, however, can widen the crack. Too much damage to the mind, and it will eventually break." Tsunade split the apple, which fell into three pieces. "Switching genders did not help. Also, Kage Bunshin applies heavy strain to the mind, especially with excessive and prolonged use."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Are you saying...?"

"Kage Bunshin... Henge..."

Sakura's head whipped to see Jiro and Hinata sitting next to each other. The boy's posture was even stiffer than before, though he would not look toward anyone. The girl almost curled up into her chair, her eyes glued to the floor. "Wha...?"

"I was first born not in the Land of Waves, in that small village, or even when Hinata looked upon the mirror when she first looked upon this face..." Jiro began.

"He was born when I was kidnapped. A strange man had violated the safety of my home and took me away." Hinata swallowed hard. "I was scared... but my fear of him paled to what happened next. Father found me. He was... angry. I have never seen such rage. He didn't just stop my kidnapper... he murdered him." Her hand shook as she touched her face. "I still remember his blood splashing onto my face."

"Hinata never wanted to see her father angry again. She became afraid of doing anything he would disapprove of. Yet even as she timidly lived in his shadow, he asked her to shine. To be strong, to make decisions for herself. But she couldn't. Not with her fear of making him angry." Jiro looked at his soul sister. "I am the one who was not bound by her fear of her father. The one who would stay out late practicing, believing father would be proud of our determination more than angry for being late."

"And that is the primary reason why Kage Bunshin was banned from being taught. Had Hinata never learned the technique, even after turning into a boy, Jiro may not have become separate and distinct from her." Tsunade placed the pieces of the apple on the table. "Now there are three pieces. Hinata, Jiro and the young girl who watched her father take a life. It is the last of the three who acts as the controller for Hinata and Jiro, deciding who is the one in control and never taking it for herself."

Sakura pouted. "With their situation, addressing the trauma to her mind would be a difficult task, wouldn't it? Having a separate voice in your head is one thing, but they're really different people."

Hinata stared at Sakura with wide eyes.

"If little Hinata never comes forward, healing would be impossible. Especially if her father doesn't aid her," Tsunade replied.

"You also have to take in mind that we might not want to be 'cured,'" Jiro added.

"Right..." Sakura nodded. "You are separate people... now. So... how did you separate?"

"It might seem silly to train a shadow to utilize her abilities when a single punch could take her out, but the Hyuuga bloodline prides itself upon having the ultimate defense. By making her strong enough, she would never be hit," Jiro related.

"As the training went on, more and more I realized I was not just a shadow and Jiro was not me," Hinata meekly added. "I didn't want to disappear, so I ran away. I had to make sure Naruto knew I existed."

"Why is that?" Kakashi wondered.

Hinata flushed. "I was afraid..."

"That if I knew I was no longer Hinata, I would try to bury her in an attempt to replace her. That when it came time to return to our real bodies, I would refuse it," Jiro finished bitterly.

"So, what does that mean for Ai? Is she and Naruto...?" Sakura trailed off.

Ai smirked. "That would be getting ahead of the story."

"What's left to say? Isn't Shinobu-chan's birth the last event to be talked about?" Sakura wondered.

Ai smirked evilly. "You'll understand."

-

* * *

Ai really, really, really hated being a girl. Especially all the pregnancy bullshit. Her body was stretched in all sorts of unnatural ways. Her breasts swelled to a size that made only Jiraiya happy, and they were always sore so Jiro couldn't even 'enjoy' them. If he ever really cared about big tits. Her waist was even worse, stretched to all hell and getting kicked all the time from the inside. And the extra weight sat in her all wrong, adding too much pressure to her poor insides, her bladder especially. She was hurting in places she never knew she had. At least she had nice, firm nails and thick, full hair.

"You should just sit down and let me do take of the cooking," Jiro told the mother of his child.

"Not happening." Ai wagged a spoon at him. "I can't just sit around and do nothing all day. I'll go nuts!"

"But you need to save your strength. You could go into labor any time," Jiro reminded her, nervously fretting around her.

"When the brat is ready to come out, it'll be time. Until them, I'll do what I want," Ai snarled. She suddenly lurched forward and grabbed her bulging waist.

"Ai?! Are you okay?!" Jiro cried out.

"Just another weird pain. It'll go away." She didn't sound confident in her words.

Jiro's eyes went wide. "Have you felt this before?"

"Not as bad as that one, but yeah. Last cramp was hours ago," Ai told him.

Jiro bit his lip. "Could be contractions. If it is, we still have time."

Ai pouted. "You mean the baby might come soon?"

"No use getting scared now," Jiro pointed out, though he seemed to be telling himself that as much as the mother-to-be.

"Yeah... No use..." Her eyes went wide and she suddenly screamed in pain. She fell backyards, only to be caught by Jiro. Water began to ooze from beneath her dress.

"Ai?!" Jiro got no response. He knew something was wrong. "Kage Bunshin!" Two copies of him appeared. One of them ran out of the house for the mid-wife.

The other clone immediately used henge to change into Hinata. "Byakugan!" she added, and her eyes went wide with fright. "Kyuubi is doing something to the baby!"

"WHAT?!" Jiro cried out and activated his Sharigan eyes. He could see the Kyuubi's chakra engulfing the girl in his arms. He couldn't allow this! He had to do something!

Two dots within each of Jiro's eyes became three and he fell next to his beloved.

* * *

Ai knew the inside of her mind all too well, the dark, damp cave with a massive metal gate. And with a single look, she also knew why the Kyuubi had been so quiet these past several months. Kyuubi's head had oozed partially out of its prison, hovering over the body of an infant. The beast wanted her baby. There was one question she needed to know. "Why the hell do you want my baby?!"

"Why?" Kyuubi chuckled. "My dear mother, the seal is upon you, not your daughter. And even if my full awakening is somehow prevented, I would be able to continue to exist after your death."

Ai growled in anger but then blinked in surprise as Jiro appeared next to her. "How are you inside me?"

"I'm not really sure myself," Jiro admitted.

Kyuubi grinned evilly. "I had expected the Uchiha blood to activate enough for you to appear. Let's see what the other you has to say about this."

Hinata suddenly appeared in front of the beast. She looked around in confusion. "This isn't the inside of Jiro."

"We are inside of Naruto's mind." Kyuubi smirked at the squeak of surprise the girl had upon seeing him. "And as this is truly his world, why don't we awaken him?"

Next to Hinata appeared the girl's blond-haired crush who looked more confused than she did.

"This is the chance to reclaim what is yours. Defeat your other self and when you awaken, you shall be in permanent control of the body you were meant to have." Kyuubi pointed at Ai and Jiro. "They have taken your lives, here is your chance to get them back. No more hiding in the back of their minds. You will be free!"

"I won't be the 'fake' anymore?" Hinata whispered.

"Is that even possible?" Ai wondered.

"Quite possibly," Jiro replied nervously.

"No more being repressed. When you return to Konoha, nothing will stop you from returning to your rightful bodies. No more being the wrong gender. No one will look at you funny as they do not have to know you're the wrong parents. You could even say you've adopted," Kyuubi told them.

Naruto wearily looked at the beast with a frown. "I should believe you why?"

"You're not as stupid as you look. I know this better than most," Kyuubi replied. "If not for the seals, I could devour you and take full control. You know I could. It is the same thing. Defeat Ai and you once again are in control of your life."

"I... I want to live!" Hinata cried out, launching herself at Jiro. She tackled him to the ground. "I want to live!"

"Let them have their fight in privacy of their own mind." Kyuubi sent a blast of energy at the two, and they were gone.

Ai was thankful her mental self wasn't pregnant as she stood ready to fight.

Naruto gazed at her, his hand reaching for the kunai he always carried in his trusty pouch.

* * *

Jiro blinked as he looked around from where he laid on the ground, vaguely recognized where he was. It looked like he was in the central hallway of the Hyuuga family's main house. However, this hallway was much longer and with many more doors. A few were fully opened, some were ajar, others were closed, and a few were sealed tight with chains. "What happened?"

"Kyuubi has sent us back into our mind," Hinata replied as she rolled to her feet. "I've spent enough time here to know."

Jiro frowned. Not sure what to think about all of this. He didn't have too much time to think as he had to roll away from Hinata as she tried to kick him. He tried to knock her off her feet as he moved to stand up, but she leapt over his attack. He thought it was odd that as she attacked him, she didn't activate Byakugan and that she was using the same fighting style he did rather than the Hyuuga clan's Gentle Fist. He tried to activate Sharigan and found the reason she didn't use her bloodline limit. Everything was chakra here, making it harder to see rather than easier. "Why do we have to fight?"

"Because I'm the real one! I don't want to be stuck here for the rest of YOUR life!" Hinata cried out, tears in her eyes. "I want to live!"

Jiro understood Hinata's words. She was right in that she was the 'real' person. However, there were two important issues against that. "I want to live too. And what about MY baby? I'm going to be a father!"

Hinata's axe kick faltered slightly, but she still pressed the attack. "I can be the baby's mother. The way it was supposed to be!"

"What happens if you and Ai wins? How will things work then? Two mothers and no fathers?" Jiro retorted.

"Naruto would never lose!" Hinata spat out, gritting her teeth as she struggled to land any serious hit.

Jiro was frustrated at his own inability to gain any lasting advantage over her with his attacks. He didn't know why she didn't attempt to use any jutsu, but he needed to finish this soon to help Ai. He leapt away and grasped his wrist. "Chidori!"

"I wouldn't do that," Hinata warned.

Jiro ran forward, the lightning of his attack brushed a nearby sealed door. Suddenly he was a four-year-old girl standing across from Neji as if they were about to spar. Her father telling her to use the move he had taught her, and she did. Neji immediately gripped his forehead, crying out in pain. The memory ended with her father praising her and telling her to use that if she ever needed to put someone in the branch family in their place.

As Jiro came back to his senses, Hinata was behind him with her arm wrapped around his neck in a chokehold.

"Please don't fight it," Hinata pleaded. "I just want what is mine."

"And I'm supposed to forget Ai and my baby?" Jiro wheezed out. "The baby is real. I am real! And if we keep fighting, Kyuubi might take both of them from me, from us. You might get control, but what about Naruto? Are you going to let him fight Kyuubi alone just to live?"

Hinata didn't move for a moment, but then her arms went slack. "I can't lose Naruto. If he... this past year has been for nothing. My life was nothing."

Jiro grasped her hand. "Then let's go back and save them together."

* * *

Ai dodged a set of kunai with relative ease, as if her male self was testing her. "Will you stop and think for a second?!"

"You just have ta give up. Then I can deal with Kyuubi," Naruto retorted, launching another attack with kunai.

"My baby is in danger!" Ai cried out.

"I will protect MY baby," Naruto promised. "This is the first real family I've ever had."

Ai bowed her head. There was no time to continue fighting herself. Kyuubi had to be stopped now. There was no choice. She dropped her posture. "Fine. You win. Protect my daughter."

Naruto smirked evilly as he reared back a set of kunai. As his arm began to move forward he twisted and launched his attack at Kyuubi's right eye. The attack came as a complete surprise to both Kyuubi and Ai. The blades found their mark and the beast roared in pain.

Kyuubi growled in anger. "You miserable little girl!"

Naruto shifted into Ai, much to the copy's surprise. "Huh?" The confusion didn't last for long as the beast roared, leaving only the original Ai.

"What's going on?" Ai wondered. "What happened to Naruto?"

"There is no Naruto, girl. He stopped existing when you fucked Uchiha," Kyuubi spat. "You killed him!"

Ai glared at the beast. She didn't believe a word he said. His words meant nothing. She had to save her daughter. She snatched some of the kunai Naruto had intentionally missed her with and leapt to attack. The beast moved and twisted its head, but only seemed to minimize the potential damage. Kyuubi was not fighting back.

Everything began to shake as if there was an earthquake. Ai tried to keep her footing. Kyuubi smirked evilly as the baby faded slightly.

"What's going on?!" Ai demanded.

"You're a moment closer to being my mother," Kyuubi taunted.

Ai growled angrily. If she were not fighting Kyuubi, she would be channeling the beast's power now. She gritted her teeth, suspecting upsetting her was part of the plan. Kyuubi's chakra flowed easier when she was upset, and the beast would need that to take over her daughter. She had to keep calm.

"Where's Naruto?" Hinata asked from behind Ai.

"Ai destroyed him," Kyuubi gloated.

Ai turned around to see Hinata collapse to the ground while Jiro scowled darkly at the beast. "We've got to save my baby! We can't let Kyuubi be reborn!"

Jiro wasted no words launching into various attacks that were largely ignored. Ai resumed her attacks as well, but time was becoming a serious issue as there was another quake.

"Time is almost up!" Ai warned.

"Was that a contraction?" Jiro wondered.

"I won't let you take my baby!" Ai yelled, launching herself at the beast's face.

Kyuubi growled and shook his head to dislodge the girl from his nose. "There's no use fighting this, Mother. I will live beyond you. Just as I've lived beyond Naruto."

Everything began to shake once more.

"If that's another contraction, time is about up," Jiro warned.

"Is Naruto really... gone?" Hinata asked in a whisper.

"Do you see him here?" Kyuubi taunted. "Ai destroyed him. The boy you love will never come back."

"Is that true?" Hinata questioned with dread.

Ai didn't answer her, focusing on fighting the fox's head. "You won't take my baby!"

Hinata tried to think of her beloved. Tried to see where Naruto had ended and Ai began. She wasn't sure where the two were separated. Both never gave up. Both fought to help others and kept their words. But Ai wasn't a boy. She couldn't be with Ai the way she wanted. She might not be Jiro, but at least she could make sure he would have his family.

"Ai, stop! Don't do that!" Jiro cried out.

"RASENGAN!" Ai cried out. Memories of Naruto's lonely childhood haunted her thoughts. Days and nights of being alone with no family. Before her was her daughter. Finally someone of her flesh and blood to call her true family. She would let nothing get in her way. She slammed the spiraling mass of chakra on the snout of the beast.

Kyuubi began to howl in pain and anger. "You will not leash me! I will have my freedom!"

Hinata bolted forward, covering the fading image of a baby girl with her body. "If you want a body, take mine!"

"You have no body!" Kyuubi hissed. The beast pulled his head away the only direction he could, inside the cage. "You will regret this!"

"Even if you torture me until I die, I will never regret saving my baby!" Ai shot back.

"Enjoy motherhood," Kyuubi spat venomously.

Ai blinked and suddenly she was upon her bed in her home. "We did it. We beat-" She suddenly screamed as she felt like someone was ripping her apart at the hips. Never before had she felt such unimaginable agony. Even Sasuke plunging a fist into Naruto's chest had not caused this much hellish pain.

"Couldn't you have slept for another minute?" Tsunade grumbled. "Keiko, Inari, hold her steady. Just a couple more pushes."

Ai didn't feel reassured by the presence of her students. She had no clue how Tsunade knew she was giving birth, let alone how the Hokage had gotten there.

Jiro groaned as he woke up. He leapt up immediately upon hearing Ai's moans of pain. He immediately made a copy, who promptly changed into Hinata. Both activated their special eyes, making sure Kyuubi was defeated and that this was not another trick.

"One more push!" Tsunade ordered.

Ai didn't know what the hell she was talking about, but her insides seized up painfully and then nothing. All the pain she had experienced suddenly evaporated. The pressure between her legs was gone.

Ai looked up to see Tsunade holding an infant by the feet. With a small, but sharp strike on the infant's rear, a cry echoed within the room. A quick cut of the cord attached to the baby's navel, followed by a short wash in a waiting water basin, and then the crying baby was handed to her mother.

"You're my daughter," Ai said with awe. The tears of pain she had held back now flowed as tears of joy. "I'm really a mother..."

Jiro smiled tenderly. "I have a daughter..."

"Have you picked a name?" Tsunade asked, looking upon the family fondly.

"Shinobu," Ai answered. "I wanted to name my baby Shinobi, but he didn't like that idea."

Jiro smirked. "It's close enough for her."

Keiko giggled. She reached out and tentatively touched the infant. "She's so small."

"Thank god she wasn't bigger!" Ai retorted weakly.

"Let the girls rest," Tsunade told them all firmly. "Jiro, I want a report from you."

"I'll keep watch in case Kyuubi tries something," Hinata promised.

Jiro nodded and ushered Keiko and Inari out of his home with Tsunade following them.

Hinata took a seat next to Ai. "So... I guess I'm an aunt..."

"Or a second mother," Ai replied.

Hinata looked away. "I hardly think I can count as that."

"Look, I don't know about this whole mind splitting stuff. That you and Jiro are the same yet different isn't something I think I'll ever understand. What I DO know is that you're part of this dysfunctional family," Ai told her.

Hinata looked at her sadly. "I don't know if I want to be. You... you're not Naruto are you? You won't be changing back."

Ai gazed down at her now sleeping baby. "I can't change back for a while. She needs me. But... I believe I'm still Naruto. With me there's no 'him' and 'her,' there's just me. Tsunade-baachan talked all about childhood trauma creating Jiro from you, but as screwed up as my childhood was, I didn't have any one stand out incident like you did. I don't think my mind 'cracked,' just bruised and attention starved."

Hinata blinked. "You mean there was no Naruto because you adapted? You saw a challenge and faced it?"

Ai nodded. "I think that's what I'm saying. That's why there wasn't a real Naruto there. Kyuubi made a copy and tried to make us think he had split from me."

Hinata pouted. "I see... You know... I'm not really into... you know... girls."

Ai reached out and grabbed Hinata's hand. "I wasn't into guys even after the switch."

Hinata blushed. "I know... It's just... this wasn't the life I was hoping for."

"Few get what they want out of life," Ai replied jokingly.

"At least I still have you, even if you're a girl now, Naruto." Hinata leaned over and gently kissed mother and daughter before disappearing.

* * *

-

"The next couple months was spent raising Shinobu, recovering my form, and making damn sure nothing of Kyuubi was in my daughter," Ai summed up. "When it came time to leave, it was a good thing Inari is such a good study. He needed escape techniques just to get out of his mother's death-grip of a hug. Tsunami may have had months to prepare, but she still didn't want to let her son leave. Tsunami likely wishes she could've come with us, but Tazuna didn't want to leave and he's getting on in age. It did help that Keiko's foster mother decided to come with us and help support her daughter and her lover."

"LOVER?!" Sakura cried out.

"Oops." Ai grinned sheepishly.

Hinata blushed madly.

Jiro shook his head. "With their lack of innocence and abundant time alone combined with Keiko's existing knowledge, there isn't much surprise they took that step."

"I guess." Sakura shook her head. "It's just I remember Inari from when we fought against Gato. He was so... young."

"And now he's the same age you were before graduating from the ninja academy, and I know you had certain... thoughts you wished had happened," Ai returned.

Sakura flushed. Old fantasies of being with Sasuke washed over her thoughts. The question if she could've kept him from leaving had she made her full feelings known and... well... helped him with the second part of his life goal, 'the rebuilding of the Uchiha clan.'

Tsunade folded her hands together. "I will remind you that everything discussed in this room is of the highest top secret level. I want you all to think over the situation before giving any ideas about how things should move on from here."

Kakashi nodded. "There is no need to make hasty decisions."

"Exactly," Tsunade replied.

Rock Lee shrugged helplessly. "I wouldn't have a clue on what to suggest."

"We'll meet in my office in a week to discuss the options. Rock Lee, you do not need to attend," Tsunade told them. "You're all dismissed."

"Good. I'm sure Shinobu is hungry by now," Ai mentioned before quickly leaving the room.

Jiro followed quickly after her, Hinata lingering for a second before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Coming Next: Chapter 14 Ai and Jiro have arrived in Konoha and the questions for their future looms above them.

So ends the first arc of Between Deception and Truth. Events will certainly be different from here, starting with that Ai's return to Konoha is around one month ahead of when Naruto returned in the manga.

Thanks to Jeremy Mullin for prereading this chapter.


	15. Home Is Where the Heart Is

Between Deception and Truth

Chapter 14 - Home Is Where the Heart Is

By: Lord Archive

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

Wondering around the streets of Konoha, Ai looked at the places she remembered well. No one paid any attention to her as she walked amongst the crowd along the main street. Initially the lack of any harsh glares at her had been something of a comfort, but the total lack of recognition began to sting more. She was home, but few people knew it. She was alone now as much as she was when she had first joined Team Seven.

"Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen!" Teuchi greeted with a broad smile. Gray hairs poked out from under his white hat. "I haven't seen you around before. New to Konoha?"

Ai strangely felt like she had been stabbed. She pouted at him. "Not exactly. I'd like a large pork ramen, don't forget the _naruto_." She oddly accented the food topping that shared her original name. He didn't seem to notice.

"So, when have you been to Konoha before?" Teuchi questioned.

"I was born here. I've just been a long mission and only just got back," Ai replied.

"I see. Sorry. It must've been a really long mission if I didn't recognize you," Teuchi commented.

Ai let out a laugh. "I wasn't even dating when I left. Now I have a daughter."

"Really?" Teuchi raised an eyebrow. "Too bad my daughter left on a trip. She'd have loved to talk to you about that."

Ai nodded, thankful for the explanation of where Ayame was without her asking about it.

* * *

Jiro tried to shush his crying daughter. He was at a loss for why Shinobu was screaming. Her diaper wasn't soiled and it was too early to feed her. She didn't have any sort of fever, and seemed to only be red faced because of her crying.

There was a twitch within his mind, and he muttered out a word, "Henge." Now Hinata held Shinobu tenderly in her arms. She didn't do anything different than Jiro had, yet Shinobu immediately started to quiet down.

"You just wanted your Mommy, didn't you?" Hinata asked.

Shinobu's arms flailed toward her.

"If only I was your mother," Hinata whispered tearfully.

Shinobu slapped Hinata's arms and giggled. There was no frowning with the baby girl, no matter how heavy Hinata's heart felt.

* * *

"And why didn't you tell me that Jiro was a separate personality from Hinata? That I still have my daughter?!" Hiashi growled.

Tsunade glared at him. "Jiro is as much your son as Hinata is your daughter. They are the same person. The situation they are in now has no simple solution. Without the complete story, making the best decision for them is not possible."

"It's a simple solution. Turn Hinata back as was planned," Hiashi demanded.

"And ignore that Jiro is your son and the father of your granddaughter?" Tsunade shot back.

"That child is no relation of mine," Hiashi retorted.

"Jiro was born from your actions. He is your son," Tsunade stood firmly.

"And am I supposed to recognize those without Hyuuga blood as heir to strongest house of Konoha?" Hiashi retorted. "That would be greatest crime against the clan I could possible do."

Tsunade growled. "I understand that Jiro and Shinobu can never be legitimate heirs, however you are ignoring the point. The reality that Jiro is alive cannot be ignored, neither can Shinobu needing her father be forgotten."

"You have my decision on this. Hinata is my daughter, and I want her back," Hiashi stood firm.

"Be that way," Tsunade spat. She stood up and stomped away.

"What of Toge?" Hiashi called out.

Tsunade stopped. "You know the restrictions."

"Yes, the same restrictions you went around to enact your plan in the first place." Hiashi leveled his gaze at the hokage. "Together we could convince the council."

Tsunade frowned. "We shall see."

* * *

Ai's scowl grew deeper as she walked down a road, turning down an alleyway that connected to another street. She quickly called out, "Kage Bunshin." and a copy of her bounced between the two homes in an effort to reach the roof. She continued on her way to the end of the alleyway and turned around. She saw nothing, but appearances were deceiving.

The clone dropped down from the roof, surprising the attractive woman with long brown hair that had been following her.

"What do you want?" Ai's clone questioned.

"I want to know why you look like a dead girl," the woman hissed.

Ai blinked, recognition slowly leaking in. She had seen this woman at the academy, but she had not been one of Naruto's teachers. "Eh, sorry sensei. Can't tell you."

The teacher grabbed the clone, pinning her to the wall a kunai poised threateningly. "I will not have a spy soil the memory of one of my students."

"I'm no spy." The clone dispersed in a cloud of smoke.

The teacher stumbled, having been off-balanced to hold the girl down. "Huh? That's..."

Ai folded her arms. "Look, I'm no spy. I'm a cousin of Ami's who has been on a long mission. I can't explain more, Tsunade-baachan's orders. You can verify I'm not a spy by asking her, Shizune-neechan or Sakura-chan. Now if you'll excuse me, it's time to feed my daughter."

The teacher followed Ai back to the 'Yamada home' and peeked into the window to see not just Ai, but Hyuuga Hinata holding a baby and a boy she did not recognize. There was certainly a story here, but something told the teacher that she wouldn't get to learn what it was.

* * *

"Tsunade-sama. I've been thinking about... Hinata-chan's situation," Sakura began as she worked on filing some of the Hokage's reports.

"Was there something you wanted to know?" Tsunade wondered.

Sakura nodded. "Splitting personalities... it's happened before, hasn't it?"

Tsunade turned to gaze out the window. "A few times, really. We dismissed the potential psychological damage for the power and utility Kage Bunshin offered."

"When did it stop being 'dismissed?'" Sakura pressed.

"One jounin had an especially troubled childhood. At the age of five, he killed his father to stop the sexual abuse that was being inflicted on him," Tsunade growled out disdainfully. "His mind was already fractured, but Konoha was at war with the Hidden Village of Stone. And despite the jounin's obvious insanity, he was still taught Kage Bunshin. He took his shadow clones to a level no one thought was possible. Each of his clones was a separate personality. Fighting him was like fighting eight different ninja as each employed different methods of fighting and reasoning."

"Was he ever cured?" Sakura asked.

"There is no cure for him." Tsunade sighed. "He has been functionally exiled. He mans a watch post, knowing full well he's not allowed to leave it."

Sakura pouted. "That won't happen to Hinata-chan, will it?"

"None of her personalities is a full-fledged homicidal psychopath," Tsunade pointed out.

Sakura shuddered. "Yes. Right."

* * *

"Henge!" Ai called out, changing into Naruto. He then looked toward Hinata. "Let's take a walk around town."

Hinata blinked. "Are... are you asking me on a date?" She cast a confused look toward her soul twin.

Jiro frowned. "You do realize that announcing that Naruto is in Konoha will alert Akatsuki to where you are."

"If the Akatsuki wanted to find me, they would've attacked us a long time ago. Since we killed that one Akatsuki guy, they haven't come after anyone with a tailed-demon," Naruto pointed out.

"But is there any reason to expose our position?" Jiro demanded.

"No one recognizes me." Naruto huffed. "I'm just a stranger to them as a girl. I'm home, but it doesn't feel like it. I freaked out Shikamaru when I waved at him. I want to say 'hi' to my friends and let them know that it's really me."

Hinata gazed at the floor. "I... I would like to do that as well. It has been a long time since I've seen my sister or my teammates."

"Fine," Jiro growled out. "Please be careful."

"Yes, dear," Naruto groused. He kissed the father of his child on the cheek. "We'll be back before dinner."

Jiro let out a small chuckle. "You better, or you'll have to answer to your daughter."

"Yes. Yes. Mommy promises to be home before curfew," Naruto teased, tickling Shinobu's stomach and earning a happy giggle. He then grabbed Hinata's hand. "Let's go on our date."

Hinata flushed, once again casting a look at Jiro with confusion and uncertainly etched on her face.

* * *

"NARUTO is the MOTHER of an UCHIHA baby?!" one of the councilmen called out in shock.

Tsunade folded her arms irritably. She had intended to wait before addressing the council about Naruto's situation and the possible plans to deal with it, but Hiashi brought it up in the council meeting meant to discuss the upcoming Chuunin exams. "Yes. However, that is not the only... casualty of the mission. Unaddressed trauma in Hyuuga Hinata's childhood has led her to develop a split personality. Her cover, Yamada Jiro, has become fully separate and distinct from her."

"Wouldn't it be more accurate to say Uchiha Jiro?" Mitokado grumbled. "Why did you not inform the council that you used an Uchiha for your plans?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "I do not see how that has any baring. As I had outlined in my plan, I would select two dead children that would give the best chance for Naruto to succeed in his training. The best match for Hyuuga Hinata just happened to be an Uchiha boy."

"So, you risked discovery of the mission by covering one bloodline with another. That was an ill-conceived choice that could've easily doomed the mission," Utatane pointed out darkly.

"Arguing over something that has no baring on the present issues at hand is pointless," Hiashi interrupted. "The mission did not go as planned. That is an unfortunate reality in our way of life. Dwelling on what cannot be changed will not allow us to advance. What we need to do now is focus on what to do next."

"And what should be done?" Utatane asked harshly. "The Akatsuki are beginning to stir again. Their spies are tracking down the tailed demons as we speak."

"Because Naruto has become a mother, she currently wishes to remain as she is to better care for her baby. That a simple henge can return her to being fully Naruto for a time, she is in no rush to reclaim her birth form," Tsunade explained.

"It is not so simple with Hinata. Both she and Jiro wish to exist. As they are now, only one can be true while the other would remain only as a shadow," Hiashi added.

"Are you suggesting we cover up the failure of one forbidden technique with another?" Mitokado demanded.

"That jutsu is not actually forbidden. Only contact with the creator of the jutsu has been restricted," Tsunade pointed out. "Until now we've had no good candidates to learn it. To use the skill that helped us defeat the Hidden Village of Stone and yet not suffer the same consequences."

Utatane looked at Hiashi. "You do realize the risk you are suggesting. Sending a _child_ to meet him. He is eight jounin in one. Even with Sharigan and Byakugan, Hyuuga Hinata is no match for him if it came down to a fight. And with his bloody record, it may very well become one."

"His exile was self-imposed. There are no walls to his prison, but it is still one he cannot leave. Besides, Jiro is older than any of the victims of that rogue personality. He might not garner any interest from him," Tsunade pointed out.

"It still remains a risk. He has been without... young companionship for so long. Even as a girl, that might not be enough to stave off a potential attack," Utatane warned.

Mitokado rubbed his chin. "Perhaps this is the best solution after all. There is a risk in any mission."

Utatane glared at him. "The girl must know ALL the risks before she meets him. Make sure she understands that more than her life may be at stake. And if her mind begins to fracture more, creating more personalities that may become dangerous to Konoha, that she may be killed to protect everyone from her."

"Understood," Tsunade growled, not happy with the last comment.

Hiashi nodded, doubting that anyone would be able to defeat Hinata if she could become several ninja.

* * *

"Is it okay to be doing this?" Hinata asked shyly.

Naruto looked at her strangely. "Don't you want to see the people you've missed?"

"Of course I do..." Hinata shifted nervously. "But is it okay for us to be on d-date? I mean Jiro is your..."

Naruto tapped the tip of her nose. "You're part of Jiro and Jiro is part of you. Dating you is dating him. Anything you do he'll remember."

"Well, yes... I guess." Hinata's face was deep red. "It still kind of feels like we're cheating on him."

"Have you talked to him?" Naruto asked.

Hinata turned away. "Not really..."

"You should." Naruto shrugged. "Actually, we all should sit down and figure this crap out. I don't want any misunderstandings to occur between Jiro and you."

"Hinata!" a dark haired and animalistic looking teenage boy called out, riding upon a giant white dog.

"Wha?! Kiba?!" Naruto cried out in surprise.

"Kiba-kun..." Hinata whispered fondly. "It's been a while."

The boy leapt off the dog and grabbed the girl into a hug.

Hinata immediately turn beet-red. "Kiba-kun, please let go."

Kiba released her. "Still don't like being touched, huh?"

"Unless it's me," Naruto countered, putting his arm around Hinata, who continued to blush but didn't protest the contact. "And what the hell is with THAT!" He pointed at the white dog that was giving him a weird look.

"That's Akamaru, of course. Don't you recognize him?" Kiba questioned in confusion.

"THAT'S Akamaru?!" Naruto waved excitedly. "HE was riding YOU when I left!"

"He certainly does grow fast. I could barely hold him before I left on my mission," Hinata added.

Kiba scratched his mangy hair. "He does? Didn't really notice."

"'Didn't notice?!'" Naruto questioned incredulously.

"Hello," a boy greeted, with only the upper part of his face visible.

"Who are you?" Naruto wondered.

Hinata smiled shyly. "Hello, Shino-kun."

"Huh? That's Shino?" Naruto asked.

Hinata nodded.

"At least she recognizes her comrade," Shino muttered, seemingly hurt by Naruto's lack of recognition.

"Like I could realize who you are with one word and this much face," Naruto shot back using his hands to cover part of his own face.

Kiba pouted deeply at Hinata. "What were you doing on your mission with Naruto?"

"I... er... well... was to help protect him," Hinata answered nervously.

"Protect him from what?" Kiba wondered in confusion.

"Can't say. Top secret," Naruto replied.

Shino raised an eyebrow. "Why was she chosen?"

"Hard to explain that without breaking secret," Naruto told them.

"Did it have to be you?" Kiba growled. "Couldn't they have sent someone else?"

Hinata shook her head. "It had to be me. I couldn't let someone else do that."

"Huh? Why?" Kiba pressed.

Hinata shifted uneasily. "It's just... well..."

"She knew it'd be a long mission and that my partner would most likely be a girl." Naruto chuckled and drew Hinata in close to him with his arm. "She wanted me all to herself."

"Naruto..." Hinata flushed gazing at the ground.

As covered-up as Shino was, his surprised expression was still evident. "You don't mean you two are together?"

Naruto grinned. "Actually, we're parents."

Kiba flopped onto the ground. "You two are..."

Akamaru began to growl dangerously.

"What is it boy?" Kiba asked in a dazed tone. He sniffed the couple's scent at his dog's suggestion. "Huh?"

Akamaru lurched forward and bit Naruto's arm. The boy's eyes widened in fright just before a cloud of smoke enshrouded him, revealing a purple haired girl underneath.

"Spies?" Shino wondered, before unleashing a swarm of insects at Hinata.

The Hyuuga girl took a step back as the bugs engulfed her in a living cloud. There were hundreds of tiny pricks upon her skin before she disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Kiba and Akamaru launched themselves at Ai, with claws and teeth.

"This makes no sense. That was Hinata's chakra, yet she was a shadow clone," Shino commented.

"What have you done to Naruto and Hinata-chan?" Kiba demanded.

"Damn it, Kiba, I AM Naruto. This was part of the mission!" Ai cried out.

"Kiba, Akamaru, SIT!" Shino ordered.

Much to Ai's surprise, the two listened to Shino's command, literally sitting down on the street, with Kiba sitting the same way as his dog.

"You're going to have to explain who you are and what happened to Hinata," Shino demanded.

Ai didn't immediately respond. "Fine... If I can tell Sakura-chan, then I guess you two should know at least most of what happened. Follow me. I'll explain at my home."

"So, your comment about being parents with Hinata was a lie," Kiba growled.

Ai smirked at him. "Nope. She's the father."

"WHAT?!" was chorused and barked.

* * *

"This is totally messed up." Kiba shook his head. "I thought my family was screwed up."

Ai raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying that your family's love of dogs--"

"Don't go there," Kiba snarled.

"How much do you remember of what Jiro does?" Shino wondered.

Hinata fidgeted. "Everything. I just view it differently."

"One way to view us is to think of me as Hinata born as a guy," Jiro mentioned. "Everything she has done, from her earliest memories, I remember as well. I just don't have the same insecurities and fears."

"So... you remember having sex with Ai?" Kiba questioned uncertainly.

Hinata nodded with a deep blush.

Ai laughed. "Before conceiving Shinobu, we even did it as Naruto and Hinata, so she knows very well that sex can be a lot better as a girl. Though it also can be a lot worse."

Shino looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Girls feel more during sex, both the good and the bad. If you move the wrong way, it hurts more as a girl. Move right, and your brain turns to pleasure-induced mush," Ai explained.

"Can we not talk about that?" Hinata pleaded quietly, her words thick with embarrassment.

"Yes. Let's talk about something else," Shino agreed, shifting uneasily.

A soft knock came from the door.

Ai carefully opened the door. "Hey, Tsunade-baachan. Why are you here?"

Tsunade glared the guests in the girl's home. "I could say the same about them."

"If Sakura-chan can know my story, they should be able to know about _Hinata's_ story," Ai stressed, making it clear they did not have the full story about her.

Tsunade frowned. "I see. Well, I have something I need to discuss with you and... your spouse alone."

"We were just leaving." Shino bowed toward Hinata. "We shall see you again," he promised before dragging Kiba out of the house. Akamaru soon joined them from where he had been laying in the street.

Tsunade glanced around as she shut the door, making sure they would have privacy. She did not take a seat as she addressed the young family. "We have just received word that the next Chuunin exams will be held in Konoha. Ai, would you like to participate in them?"

"Yes!" Ai immediately replied.

Tsunade nodded. "I will arrange for you to meet the two genin on the current Team Seven. They will be your partners for the test."

Ai nodded. She began to shift excitedly.

"The other thing I have to say is for Jiro and Hinata." Tsunade closed her eyes for a moment. "The current situation with you two leads to two undesirable consequences, with one of you active and the other as a shadow. There is a third option, but there are risks to it. During the war with the Hidden Village of Stone, there was a ninja who shared Hinata's problem, only it was more severe. He had eight distinct personalities. Those personalities manifested through his Kage Bunshin. The ease of being dispelled was upsetting to him. With eight separate minds, he set himself to the task of making an advanced Kage Bunshin. One that allowed the clones he made to withstand attacks and had to be killed with lethal damage before they would dispel."

Jiro blinked in surprise. "Are you saying with his technique Hinata would be almost real?"

Hinata frowned. "I don't want to be 'almost real.'"

"The true extent of his technique is only known to him." Tsunade looked away. "After helping to win the war, we learned that one of his personalities is... extremely dangerous, especially to young, innocent boys. He is now in exile at a watch post and is not allowed direct contact with anyone. He's only had himself for company."

Jiro frowned deeply. "So, if I go to him, he might not teach me his technique but rather kill me?"

"With the personality I'm talking about, he would only kill you after raping you and torturing you for a few days," Tsunade corrected. "Though I should point out that is but one of his personalities. Another one of his personalities would kill you without remorse. You want to deal with the other six personalities, particularly the one we've viewed as the leader. He is responsible and loyal to Konoha. He was the one to exile himself for the protection of the village."

"That all sounds rather risky," Ai pointed out.

"But it may let me live separately from Hinata," Jiro pointed out.

"And that's supposed to make ME feel better?" Ai shot back. "Are you two going make me choose between you?"

Hinata and Jiro looked at each other, neither knowing how to answer her.

"You don't have to answer me immediately," Tsunade told them. "However, due to that personality's fixation on young boys, if you do go on the mission it would be best to go fully as Hinata. Jiro's presence would increase the danger."

Ai folded her arms. "Yes, we will have to discuss this."

* * *

Author's Notes:

Coming Next - Chapter 15: Discussions  
Ai meets with her temporary teammates while Jiro and Hinata must decide what to do.


	16. Discussions

Between Deception and Truth

Chapter 15 - Discussions

By: Lord Archive

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

Ai grumbled as she made her way to the Hokage's office, already not in the best of moods. She had earlier tried to talk to Hinata and Jiro about the possibility of splitting them up, but that had blown up in her face. Even Hinata had yelled at her. Ai didn't see a reason for her spouse to risk fighting an insane jounin. Jiro wouldn't listen to reason while Hinata went on a triad going as far as yelling, 'You don't know what it's like to be fake!' As if she didn't know what it was like to be 'false,' to be a 'fake.' She had lived months as multiple shadows, all as a girl who was no longer alive.

If the argument hadn't woken up Shinobu, Ai would likely still be fighting with her spouse.

The young mother's attitude did not improve as she walked into the office and saw the teacher that had stopped her two days ago, standing before the leader of the village. "Hey, Grandma. What's she doing here?"

Tsunade smiled a little at the teacher's apparent shock from Ai's greeting. "Misashi Hotoko is the jounin leader of the current Team Seven." She then turned her gaze to the attractive woman. "Misashi, this is Yamada Ai."

Hotoko alternated between looking at the girl and the Hokage, possibly wondering if there really was the implied family relation. "She's using an alias?"

"Ai's situation is not something I will discuss," Tsunade told her flatly.

"And I'm supposed to entrust two of my students to her?" Hotoko growled.

"I would entrust my life and all of Konoha to her," Tsunade returned harshly.

"She will need to be tested," Hotoko demanded.

"That goes without saying. Your genin need to know that she will have their back." Tsunade smirked. "Ai should sneak attack your team as they wait for you to show up."

Hotoko had a small smile that Ai didn't trust.

* * *

"How are we going to do this?" Jiro questioned.

Hinata didn't reply as Shinobu suckled on the bottle she was holding. While the baby had resisted being fed this way at the hospital, she accepted it easily from the shadow girl.

Jiro paced around the room. "Ai doesn't understand our situation. Being stuck like this is like I'm married to Hanabi. Having someone watch my every move and thought."

"In some ways we are very alike; while in others, we are very different," Hinata almost whispered.

Jiro scowled. "You have no idea how the threat of you marrying Negi to 'improve' the bloodline no longer being an option makes me happy."

"I wouldn't have liked it either," Hinata replied quietly.

"But you would have lived with it," Jiro muttered. "Now at least Negi has love."

"Will I have mine?" Hinata wondered.

"We do not know the full extent of the advanced Kage Bunshin." Jiro looked away. "We can assume that we will still be bonded to each other. Otherwise, only that rouge personality would need to be a prisoner, not all of them. However, it may be possible for Ai and Naruto to separate."

"Ai isn't a separate personality," Hinata reluctantly pointed out.

"True, but she is a separate body. It might work," Jiro returned.

"And what about Kyuubi?" Hinata added.

Jiro's frown deepened. "That's why we need to find out more first. We can't take any risks of Kyuubi escaping."

"What if we can't get Ai to agree to let us go?" Hinata fretted.

"Then we'll have to go while she's taking the Chuunin exam," Jiro stated firmly.

Hinata bowed her head, her gaze on the child in her arms. "What about Shinobu? She's only been fed by Ai and myself."

"We'll figure something out," Jiro promised.

* * *

"Where is Misashi-sensei? She's never late," muttered a young teenage girl as she tucked some stray black hair behind her ear. Her simple black shirt and pants suggested a stealth specialty.

A muscular boy folded his arms and did not mind his wild brown hair dipping into his eyes. "I don't see why we still need her, Yoshie. After all I'm a chuunin."

"Only by dumb luck, Hitochi," spat another boy, his clothes almost completely covered by bandoleers filled with throwing weapons.

"Shut it, Katsuhara," Hitochi growled.

A new voice cut the argument short. "Let's see if the students are better than the teacher."

The new Team Seven looked at the burly man wrapped from head to toe in black that was suddenly before them. Without word or signal, Hitochi launched a flurry of punches and kicks while Katsuhara jumped back. Dodging a powerful swing, Hitochi took an extra step aside, letting his teammate use the opening. Dozens of kunai were launched.

Not having the time to dodge the projectiles, the burly man raised a hand. He briefly formed a Rasengan, yet let it be incomplete and flare away. The chakra lashed out, sending the incoming weapons wildly away from him. He turned his attention back to Hitochi, but froze when the girl screamed.

Yoshie laid on the ground, clutching at her face. A kunai had struck her right eye.

"Oh, shit!" The burly man disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Ai rushed to the girl's side. "Hold on! Someone get Tsunade-baachan!"

Ai felt slender arms wrap around her, putting her into a chokehold. She didn't have a moment to protest before Hitochi charged her; his foot went through the fallen girl as his fist slammed into Ai's face.

"Genjutsu," Ai spat, though she was a bit impressed with the trick pulled on her. She twisted with impossible strength, dragging the girl holding her around and causing Hitochi's second swing to strike Yoshie in the back of the head.

Ai broke away and called out, "Kage Bunshin!" Five more copies of the girl appeared. She grinned. "Let's do this two on one."

"Let's not!" Katsuhara returned. Several dozen kunai flew through the air at the shadow clones and Ai. To his surprise, the blades were all dodged and deflected, rather that just passing through what he thought were illusions.

"You'll have to do better than that!" one of the shadows shot at him.

Hitochi immediately ran at the one who made the comment. His powerful blows were able to disrupt the clone, despite her blocking his attack. That left the young chuunin confused. However he did not have long to think about his failed assault as two of Ai's clones attacked him from behind.

Katsuhara was not in any better position as he found himself face-to-face with his own pair of enemies. This was not a good situation for him as he preferred to keep his distance from battle.

"You know, I could end this at any time," the real Ai commented, leaning against a tree and glancing at her image that was rubbing the back of her head.

The image stiffened. "What are you talking about?"

"At one time your little trick would've gotten me." Ai smirked. "If a clone was hit hard enough to be hurt on the back of the head, the shadow would be gone. And I wouldn't be bothered by such a soft hit."

The image faded to reveal Yoshie. "How are you not rubbing your face? Hitochi is a brute."

Ai grinned. "I've had a lot worse hits. Not to mention childbirth redefined pain for me."

Yoshie blinked. "You're a mom?"

Ai nodded. "It's part of the reason why I haven't passed the test yet."

Yoshie nodded. "Hotoko-sensei warned us we'd have a new member so Katsuhara and I could pass the test."

"That was a dirty trick you pulled," Ai almost growled.

Yoshie shrugged. "I had to know if you were to be our new partner or a real threat."

Glancing back into the battle, Ai could see that while Katsuhara had managed to take one clone down, the other one he was fighting had him pinned to the ground. Hitochi continued to fight wildly against the two clones facing him, the shadows easily evading his strikes.

"This is getting tedious," one of the clones commented, ducking under a wild haymaker.

"I don't know, he's stupid enough to fall for it," the other shadow derided, side-stepping a follow-up punch.

"I'll kill all you bitches!" Hitochi promised. He stepped forward, landing what seemed to be a solid hit, but the resulting cloud of smoke revealed a tree stump.

"One-thousand-years-of-pain!" the shadow called out. Two fingers launched up into Hitochi's ass.

Ai and the clones stared as the boy didn't move at all. "How...?"

Katsuhara threw off the girl on top of him. "Hey! That ass is mine!"

The offending clone suddenly found three kunai in her back before she dispersed into smoke.

Yoshie smirked. "You know how three man teams sometimes have romance issues. Well, I'm the odd one out in the team."

Ai sweated nervously. "Okay... Well, it's time to finish this." Her hand flashed out, chopping at the other girl's neck. Yoshie looked stunned before collapsing to the ground, making Ai scowl. "Definitely have to finish this."

The boys looked stun as Ai suddenly cried out, chakra flaring around her to disrupt any and all genjutsu that would be clouding her eyes. Before they could react the girl kicked up a rock, caught it and then hurled it with an insane speed. There was a meaty 'thwack' near a tree and Yoshie suddenly appeared and fell to the ground.

Ai smirked. She regretted hurting the girl, but there was no way for her win if Yoshie continued to make her see things in the wrong places. "That's one down. Who's next?"

Hitochi roared as he rushed forward, arms raised to strike. Ai deflected the clumsy, yet powerful blow with her left arm and slammed her right fist into his stomach. The larger boy only staggered back a step before trying another powerful swing, but that too was deflected and countered. "You bitch!"

"Such witty and original insults, bricks for fists," Ai quipped as she continued to out-maneuver the boy. "Don't know how you made chuunin." She whipped a kick for his face.

Hitochi caught it. "I may not have Uchiha eyes, but I have their learning curve." He continued to hold Ai's leg as he literally kicked her ass.

As the boy lowered his leg and got ready for another kick, Ai leapt up with her other foot and swung her leg around to kick him in the face. However, the boy did not let go and Ai's captured leg was wrenched in a painful direction, her hip threatening to dislocate as all her weight was now located at that joint. Her face ended up crashing into the dirt. Unable to do much else, she bit back the pain as she kicked backwards with all her might.

Katsuhara wasn't faring well against the pair of Ai's clone that had remained. Being a long-ranged fighter, he tried to keep his distance and remain on the offensive. However, he could only keep one clone at bay at a time, leaving the other one the ability to get in close. Once again the boy was pinned to the ground, unable to do anything more than watch Hitochi fight.

Hitochi grappled his body around Ai's captured leg and threatened to break it. "What do you have to say about this?"

"Kage Bunshin!" Ai called out.

Hitochi's grasp on the girl slacked as there were six clones surrounding him. "This is gonna to hurt."

"Kage Rendan!" the clones cried out.

Hitochi was launched into the air by four clones kicking him. When he met the apex of being airborne, two more clones latched onto him, pile driving him into the ground. Or so the clones thought.

The real Ai laid in the impact crater, moaning in pain. "This will teach me to underestimate a moron." Instead of using a log for his substitution technique, he had used her much as Kakashi had during the bell test. She should've known better than to do that particular move when he was already holding onto her.

Hitochi smirked viciously at the clones, who were looking confused at the injured girl and failing to pay proper attention to him. He charged into the mix, knocking one out before the girls could recover from their mistake.

Four of the other clones immediately moved to surround the boy, while the fifth pulled Ai out of the way.

"Who's next?" Hitochi boasted.

"You," one clone retorted, drawing one hand at a time from her left to the right charged with chakra while the other hand going right to left was not charged.

"Have..." the next clone said moving similarly. The other two clones added in turn, "...a nice... trip!"

Wind erupted as a tornado suddenly spawned around Hitochi. "What the fuck?!" the boy cursed before being lifted off his feet and was flung off dozens of meters away and into a tree.

Ai grumbled as she sat up, seeing the tornado briefly expanding out of control until it dispersed the clones and then broke apart. "Damn, that move still takes too much chakra for too little effect." She dispelled all her remaining clones.

Katsuhara frowned deeply as he stood up. "How are you not a chuunin? Hell, you could probably take a jounin."

"I have taken down jounin before," Ai stated confidently as Yoshie and Hitochi approached, both nursing minor injuries. "A long mission combined with starting a family kept me from taking it. I'm back now and I will pass the test this time."

* * *

Tsunade rushed through her papers with the promise of sake when she was done. She found being drunk helped her think of a solution to Hinata's situation. She was not pleased when she heard a knock at her door. She did not want any delays. "Enter. This had better be good."

Jiro nervously stepped into the room. His demeanor reflecting his birth from Hinata. "I would like to speak with you about the advanced Kage Bunshin."

Tsunade sighed. "I'm afraid I've told you everything I know."

Jiro nodded. "I understand that. The issue is that while Hinata and I have agreed to meet with the exiled jounin, Ai is against it. She doesn't understand the situation I'm in with Hinata. She's like a sister, yet we share too much. Even if all it does is make the 'fake' harder to dispel, it would still give us more freedom."

Tsunade turned to look out her window. "You do know why Ai is against it, don't you?"

Jiro sagged. "I wish I did."

"You and Hinata are her family. Her real family. You are her husband and Hinata her wife. Ai has never had a family that she could remember. Naruto was orphaned when he was only months old. She is not going to let go of either of you without a fight," Tsunade explained.

Jiro frowned. "What can we do?"

Tsunade turned back around and gazed at the boy intently. "First and foremost, be honest with Ai. Second, make her understand that splitting from each other doesn't mean that one of you will be leaving her. And third, learning the technique doesn't mean you have to use it. There is much we don't know about the limitations and effects of the advanced Kage Bunshin."

Jiro nodded slowly. "There is one other issue. With Ai about to take the test, we will need someone to help watch after Shinobu while I go to learn the move."

Tsunade scowled. "You won't be able to go on the mission without Ai's agreeing to it."

Jiro sagged, but gave no response.

* * *

Ai gazed at her sleepy daughter, yet continued to play with her. She tickled Shinobu, pulling her hand back each time the little girl tried to grab her fingers. She smiled at the happy noises her daughter made.

Hinata pouted at the scene. "Why don't you let Shinobu sleep?"

"Hasn't soiled her diaper yet," Ai replied simply. "If she went to sleep now, she'll be awake again in an hour."

"Oh..." Hinata looked away.

"Are you going to tell me what's on your mind, or are you going to make me guess?" Ai questioned, not taking her eyes off Shinobu.

"Ai..." Hinata whispered.

Ai's nose scrunched up. "Finally." She did not heed Shinobu's tears as she began to change the girl's diaper. After she finished with the task, tossing the soiled garment into the hamper to be cleaned later, she picked her daughter up, holding the baby to her chest to quiet her. When Shinobu finally quieted down, Ai placed her back in her crib, kissed her forehead and told her, "Goodnight, little one."

Hinata's fingers twitched as she watched the scene.

Ai walked over to the shadow girl. "Have you talked to Jiro?" With a nod in reply, she continued, "Have you come to an understanding?"

Hinata nodded again and found Ai's lips upon her own. Her eyes widened and she pushed the other girl away.

Ai's lips thinned from annoyance. "You still think you're betraying yourself?"

Hinata shook her head. "Henge into Naruto."

Ai shrugged. "Henge." With a puff of smoke she was now the boy of her birth.

Hinata began to reach out with a shaky hand. She hesitated for a second before grabbing the boy by his shirt and pulling him into a brief kiss. "I'm not into girls."

Naruto smirked. "I'll fix that eventually, but not tonight." He captured her lips with his own, his tongue invading her mouth, and his hand finding its way to her ass. She seemed to shake in excitement before she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Naruto, being off balance, bashed his forehead into the wall.

A giggle from behind made Naruto smile. "At least someone thought that was funny. Get to sleep, Mommy is okay."

Leaving Shinobu's room, Naruto made her way to the living room where Jiro was.

"Didn't go well, huh?" Jiro commented.

Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Ai in his place. "You could say that."

"Why are you trying to get with Hinata?" Jiro asked with an odd tone to his voice.

Ai folded her arms. "Great, now you're being jealous."

Jiro scowled at her.

"Hinata doesn't feel like she's part of this family, and I wanted to 'welcome' her into it fully," Ai told him.

Jiro pouted in much the way Hinata had earlier. "And why haven't you tried to be with me?"

"I think Hinata should go first." Ai looked away. "I'm not sure I'm ready for... well... your 'best friend.' Besides, I can't afford to get pregnant right now."

Jiro hugged his beloved. "You don't have to go all the way to have 'fun.' Besides, I don't think Hinata is 'ready' for you."

"What if you use henge?" Ai questioned a touch seductively.

"Can you imagine what would happen if she lost control during the act?" Jiro pointed out.

Ai cringed. "Not a pleasant thought."

"If you want Hinata, we're going to have to learn the advance Kage Bunshin," Jiro added.

Ai pulled away from him. "And what's to say one of you won't stay?"

Jiro folded his arms. "The fact that all of the jounin's personalities have been exiled and not just the rouge ones. Hinata and I will still be bonded to each other, whether we like it or not." He then sighed. "Sharing you with Hinata isn't a problem with me. It's the lack of... well, privacy. Every action, every thought I have... she knows it. I want to be more than a shadow of her. I want to be my own person. And so does Hinata. We want to be as twins, and not as close as we are."

"And what of the risks?" Ai hissed.

"Kage Bunshin... Henge..." Hinata appeared next to Jiro. "We will face them. I can't stand this half-existence. Being around only on his will. He has thoughts that are alien to me, as I have wants he doesn't understand. Even making the shadow harder to dispel would help us."

"Not to mention that learning the move doesn't mean having to use it. And what if we find that you can use it to make two strong copies, one of Ai and one of Naruto?" Jiro added. "You'd be able to fight on a much higher level."

Ai frowned. "I'd rather not risk splitting my mind nor give Kyuubi a chance to break free. You don't have to do this."

"Yes, we do," Hinata told him firmly.

Jiro looked sadly at his beloved. "And I'm afraid there's nothing you can do to stop us. Just as there's nothing that would stop you from going after Sasuke as it's is something you must do for yourself. This is our personal mission we can't deny."

Ai whirled away and stomped off.

"She still doesn't want us to do it," Hinata moaned.

"But she finally understands that we have to do it," Jiro added.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Not sure what the focus of the next chapter will be: Ai's chuunin exam, Jiro's personal mission, or Inari's view of the story so far. I have plans for each, yet events will be happening at the same time but are completely separate stories.


	17. Chuunin Exam

Between Deception and Truth

Chapter 16 - Chuunin Exam

By: Lord Archive

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

Ai held onto her wiggling baby as she stood next to Jiro.

"You two have come to an agreement?" Tsunade questioned.

Jiro nodded. "After Ai completes the initial chuunin exams, I will go to see the jounin to learn the advanced Kage Bunshin."

Tsunade gazed at the girl. "Is this true?"

Ai looked away. "I still don't like it, but I understand it is something Jiro and Hinata have to do."

"I see. I will give you the needed information for your mission when it's time for you to leave," Tsunade informed. "As for you, Ai, you need to get some rest. You've got a long week ahead of you."

Ai smirked. "I'll have the Forest of Death done in two days."

"Oh? Not going to try to beat the record set by Gaara?" Tsunade wondered. "He finished in less than a day."

"I'm sure I can beat Gaara's time alone, but what good would it be for my teammates if I did all the work for them?" Ai shot back.

Tsunade blinked and then smiled. "I see teaching has changed you as much as motherhood has. Good luck."

"Wish that luck for the others, because I'm going to kick their asses!" Ai pledged, eliciting an excited coo from her daughter.

* * *

"Uh, Ai, we're supposed to go to room 303," Katsuhara noted, pointing at a door sign above a mass of young ninja trying to get in.

Ai glanced at Yoshie. "You care to explain it to him?"

Yoshie giggled. "It's genjutsu covering the door. We're still on the second floor."

Katsuhara grumbled. "Why do they make everything a test?"

"You have to be ready for anything on real missions, especially against enemy ninja," Ai retorted.

Yoshie pouted as she looked upon a handsome genin marked from the Hidden Village of Stone. "Though it sucks meeting people that we may someday have to kill in battle."

"That's a price we pay with the job," Ai growled, finally arriving at the correct room. Sliding the door open she saw a sea of unruly genin. She bit back the urge to challenge them, but knew doing so would put a target on her. The only people that she could recognize was Shikamaru and Temari sitting at the front of the room.

"If this is Shikamaru's test, keep it simple, stupid," Ai warned. She then smirked seeing a familiar group of sand-nin enter the room.

Fifteen minutes later Shikamaru motioned for the door to be sealed. Temari then randomly placed the names of each genin at a seat.

Once the seating was completed, Shikamaru dragged himself to stand in front of the classroom. "You are about to be passed out a test to take. You are to finish all ten questions to the best of your ability. You have sixty minutes to complete it. If one member of the team fails to pass, the entire team fails. Get caught cheating and you fail immediately. Make a single noise, ANY noise, you fail. There will be no questions."

Tenten walked into the room from a side door, holding a scroll. Cracking it open, she summoned numerous tests each attached to a kunai and promptly threw each of them to land in front of an examinee.

"You may begin now," Shikamaru announced.

Three pencils were heard hitting wood. With a tug from Tenten's fingers, six tests were pulled away.

"What?" cried out a few of them.

"I meant any noise." Shikamaru barked. "Now all of you get out."

While the six genin grumbled as they left, three more tests were pulled.

Ai didn't need someone else to explain the 'no noise' rule. It was a test of stealth. She gazed at her test and was surprised to note that she had some idea how to answer a few of the questions. After a few more teams with nervous genin were kicked out, the room took an eerie silence.

A sneeze not only caught one genin's team, but the guy next to the sneezer made a noise as he jumped costing his team as well.

Ai shook her head. She actually suspected this test was easier than the one she had last time. She tried to relate her answers to her experience in fighting. To one question, she might not have the proof, but she was sure of the answer.

The next to go had to have been a cheater, as no noise had been heard. Then came the ripping of a paper and another group was removed. Ai spotted the issue. There were nine questions on face of the paper, the tenth had to be on the back. Giving up on the front, leaving a couple questions completely blank, she set herself to flip over the paper, however the kunai imbedding it in the desk would not let her read it. She would have to free the paper to get at the last question. She could only pray her teammates had a trick to get at the paper without making a noise.

A quick flare of wind chakra at her finger, she sliced the paper with a sharp gust of wind. Carefully, turning over the paper she had to smirk at the question. 'What is your ninja way?'

Ai quickly wrote her answer. 'Never give up. Never go back on your word. Never betray what is important to you.'

The next twenty minutes was hell to Ai. She could not think of any way to answer the remaining questions and the inability to make a sound was grating on her. By this time, various methods to turn over the test had been employed. Some of which failed, which came to the relief of at least one of the failed students who promptly went into a long vulgar rant about hating tests and Konoha. Though for some reason Yoshie seemed rather embarrassed from it.

"Times up!" Shikamaru announced.

Ai was among a few test takers who let out screams of relief.

Shikamaru's shadow raced out and collected the tests. "You may mingle with your teammates."

"That sucked," Katsuhara grumbled. "And honestly, who the hell came up with the ninja way crap?"

Ai smirked. "I might've had something to do with that."

Yoshie glanced nervously as Shikamaru went over the tests. "I'm surprised I didn't get caught cheating. I couldn't mask the sound of ripping so I made it sound like that one guy with the mouth ripped his."

Ai chuckled. "The first time I took the test was all about not getting caught cheating. And I wouldn't be surprised if there were other cheaters who made it through. If you're not caught, you didn't do it."

* * *

Ai was surprised to note the front did have meaning to the test. The more you got wrong, the more weight the tenth question had. From the way Shikamaru was talking to Temari, it would seem she was the one who made the first nine questions count.

"Three right and an essay on the back? This is a failure," Shikamaru intoned.

Temari nodded as she looked over the back. "There is no way anyone could live by these ideals. Failure confirmed."

"Inuzuka Noriko, you fail. Take your team and go," Shikamaru intoned.

A girl with a growling dog perched on her head stomped off. "This whole test is fucking stupid."

Ai wondered if the girl was Kiba's little sister or cousin, not that it really mattered.

"Six right, but he's got the best ninja way I've ever seen," Shikamaru commented. "I say he passes."

Temari scowled. "'Keep it simple, stupid?' What kind of ninja way is that?"

"One you can live by. And if he adheres to it, he may just live to retirement," Shikamaru retorted.

Ai looked at the boy on her team.

"What? I couldn't think of anything," Katsuhara whispered defensively.

"Four right and with deep yet simple ninja way," Shikamaru noted.

"Oh, it's her." Temari smirked. "Surprised she got the four right. I say pass."

"How surprisingly kind of you... She's Konoha. How do you know her? I don't even know who she is," Shikamaru wondered.

"It's because you don't know, I can't say," Temari returned.

Shikamaru shrugged. "She passes on the ninja way."

Ai shook her head. "Looks like it's all up to your test, Yoshie."

Yoshie pouted. "You only got four right."

Ai laughed. "I'm surprised I got that many."

"Love before war? Does she want a boyfriend more than being a ninja?" Shikamaru growled.

"Doesn't matter. She got eight right. She passes," Temari intoned.

Yoshie folded her arms. "What's the problem with wanting to find better ways to avoid fighting? I'd rather have a fun night with that Stone-nin than fight him to the death."

The Stone-nin in question stared at her with wide eyes.

Ai folded her arms. "Well, we all passed. Now we got to wait to see how many others get to fight in the Forest of Death."

"Forest of Death?" Katsuhara questioned.

"It's a forest filled with huge animals that would love to eat you. And that doesn't even count the fact that other ninja teams are out to defeat us, and that they will be free to use lethal force," Ai explained.

Katsuhara shuddered. "Makes me wish we were taking the test in the Hidden Village of Stone again."

* * *

There was definitely something up when you had two Chuunin and a Jounin from another village proctoring a test. Tenten had acted as a tie-breaker when Shikamaru and Temari couldn't agree if the test had passed. Then there was the one in charge of the Forest of Death.

Neji stood on a platform as he laid out the rules of the test. They were the same as the last time she had taken the test as Naruto. Get a hold of Heaven and Earth scrolls, take them to the center of the Forest and open there, and only there. There were no other rules, and Neji was explaining things in far more detail than needed, as if he was trying to weed out more of the twenty-five teams that passed the test by either scaring them that they could die or bore them to death.

In the end, every team signed the no-fault paperwork in the case of severe injury or death during the test.

Ai wasn't sure if she liked the number they got: twenty-eight. It was the early morning hours of December twenty-eighth that she had lost her virginity, which still filled her with mixed feelings.

There was no reservation as the gates opened, Ai led the way leaping into the dangerous forest.

* * *

Katsuhara scratched his arm. "Where's the huge animals? I don't see any, but I feel like something is ready to eat me."

"That feeling is from me," Ai replied. "I'm leaking chakra to scare away predators."

"And any other creature. I haven't even seen a bird or a squirrel," Yoshie commented.

"Why would you do something like that?" Katsuhara demanded. "You're going to attract enemy ninja. Not to mention waste energy you could use fighting them."

"She's got more than enough chakra to spare," a voice called out to the side of them.

Ai smirked at the three sand ninja standing on a hill. She quickly recognized them as Gaara's students. "Figured I'd run into you three here. How is Gaara?"

Matsuri pouted. "He's been busy ever since he became Kazekage."

"Really? He got approved?" Ai clenched her fist. "Good for him."

"And how have you been with your partner?" Sen questioned.

"I'm fine, but our daughter is likely driving Jiro up the wall by now," Ai joked.

"Daughter?" Matsuri clapped her hands. "You're a mother?"

"Yep." Ai nodded.

Tetsuo looked disturbed through his bandages. "Gaara-sama said you were really-" A pebble to his forehead interrupted him.

"Don't finish that," Ai growled.

Katsuhara grabbed Ai by her shirt. "Are you a Sand-nin spy?"

"Don't be stupid. If I was, we would be avoiding each other." Ai motioned toward the sand ninja. "They helped bail me and Jiro out of a bad situation on my long mission."

"You can report any suspicions after the test." Sen folded her arms. "The only question that's really important now is: Earth or Heaven?"

"Earth," Ai replied simply.

"Thank the sands," Matsuri sighed with relief. "I certainly didn't want to fight Ai."

Tetsuo nodded. "Even if they had Heaven, I wouldn't want to face someone who can fight Gaara all out."

"Gaara won that battle," Sen pointed out.

"And I beat him the first time, so we're one-and-one on the record." Ai folded her arms. "Don't fancy a rematch, though. There's a lake where we fought last time."

Katsuhara gave her a disbelieving look. Then a yelp caught him by surprise. He turned and saw Tetsuo's arm shake violently. Slowly Yoshie faded from behind Ai and appeared in the grip of the sand ninja.

"What are you doing?" Tetsuo demanded.

"Making sure you weren't lying," Yoshie defended, finally freeing her arm. "Yeah, they've got Earth, too. No need to fight them."

"Well, it's nice seeing you again, hope to meet you at the end of the test. Best we stay separated to avoid stepping on each other's toes." With that Ai leapt away, quickly followed by Yoshie and Katsuhara.

"What was all that about?" Yoshie questioned.

"Top secret bullshit that I can't tell you about," Ai replied. "Feel free to report that talk. Tsunade-bachan knows all about the time I met them."

Yoshie blinked repeatedly. "Tsunade-sama is your grandmother?"

Ai laughed. "Technically, no. But we do have that kind of relationship."

* * *

"How can they walk so casually through this forest?" questioned a small girl, wearing the mark of a Stone-nin as a belt.

"They don't even look like they've seen any trouble at all," added the handsome Stone-nin that had caught Yoshie's eye before. "They've been here a full day, and they don't have a single scratch on them."

"Something doesn't seem right with them," growled a tall, muscular Stone-nin.

"To be honest, I should've passed this test a long time ago. I was unable to take it," Ai commented.

The three Stone-nin jumped back defensively.

Ai folded her arms. "First question, Heaven or Earth?"

The girl and the handsome Stone-nin looked at the muscular member of the team, who did not immediately offer any statement. He gazed intently at the girl in front of them and then at the the ninja walking below them. He frowned before answering, "Heaven."

"Then we are in dispute. We've got Earth." Ai cocked her head. "How about we make this more fun. One of you verses Katsuhara, then another one of you verses Yoshie, and finally the remaining one of you and any victors against me. Winner of the last match gets the scroll."

"Cocky, aren't you?" the little girl hissed.

"How can we be sure you will uphold your end of this challenge?" the large stone-nin grumbled.

"I swear on my word as a ninja," Ai avowed. "That is my ninja way."

The pretty boy Stone-nin scowled. "What is it with that whole 'ninja way' crap?"

"Who can be expected to follow all the ninja rules that's spouted at us? You can be loyal to your village, but the one you need to be true to is yourself," Ai explained.

The large Stone-nin laughed. "You have my word as a ninja to abide by your challenge."

Ai nodded. "So, who's first?"

"Me!" the little girl cheered. "I'll take on that shuriken-boy."

Ai nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

Ai stopped suddenly and announced, "Katsuhara, you're up."

"Huh?" the boy looked at her strangely.

A small girl jumped out of the trees. "Come on, shuriken-boy. You're the first to fall."

"Her team has the scroll of Heaven. We beat them, we get their scroll. You fight her first. Then Yoshie gets her boyfriend, and I play clean-up," Ai explained.

Katsuhara looked disbelievingly. "I'm supposed to fight her?"

The girl in questioned went into a complex set of seals. When she finished, the ground erupted around her and launched her into the air. When the rumbling came to an end, the girl was encased within stone and dirt, standing over five meters tall. "You are going down!"

"I'm supposed to fight that?" Katsuhara complained for an entirely different reason.

"If you can't deal with her, you don't deserve to be Chuunin," Ai shot back.

Katsuhara scowled at her before dashing away. "You want to fight me, then follow me."

"Oh, I will, little mouse," the girl's voice echoed from the earthen body armor as she slowly marched after him.

Ai frowned as she watched Katsuhara run from the girl. This was going to take some time while Katsuhara came up with a plan of attack. Yoshie was being a little too quiet. She wasn't about to let the girl cheat. "They're going to be a while. Why don't you take turn now as well?"

A thud came from behind Ai.

"I thought you were going to wait for me," Ai commented.

"I am," the large stone-nin commented. "The girl decided to start her match against Ishi already."

"Ah. So that's where she went." Ai shook her head. "I only hope she can get serious enough."

* * *

Ai watched the battles from a lofty position in the trees. She had a few clones strategically placed to keep a good eye on everyone, particularly the bored shadow standing next to the Stone-nin team leader.

Katsuhara ran wildly around the trees randomly launching kunai at the stone encased girl. Ai hoped her assessment was in error and that her teammate had some sort of plan and wasn't just being a panicked fool. She couldn't be sure, but the stone-armored ninja was certainly buying into it repeatedly calling Katsuhara a bug to be squashed.

Yoshie's battle was more interesting at the moment. Various images of her stood scattered around the forest, while the handsome Stone-nin seemingly swam through the ground only to surface to launch spears of rock at the images. Technically, this fight only looked cooler as both boys were seemingly fighting ineffectively against the girls, while the girls looked for their own chance to finish things. The real interest was in the banter between Yoshie and her opponent.

"I've never had that before," Ishi commented.

"Oh, you'll love the dango," Yoshie almost squealed even as her image rippled as stone shot through her. "You sure you won't be upset when I beat you?"

"As long as you promise not to be mad if I defeat you," Ishi replied.

"I have less to be worried about there. Even if your team manages to beat Ai, I doubt we'd have much trouble regaining the scrolls we need," Yoshie replied confidently.

Ishi surfaced once again, launching three stone spears at three images. Before he could submerge again, a kunai was poised under his chin.

"Give up," Yoshie told him softly.

"That's my line," Ishi replied behind the girl.

Yoshie squeaked in surprise as she pitched forward as the guy she was hugging was a statue that grabbed her arms and pinned them painfully to the ground. "Damn it."

"Do you surrender?" Ishi pleaded.

Yoshie squirmed as small spikes began to emerge from the statue under her. "I... give up. You win."

Ishi released the girl who immediately sat up cross-legged and huffed.

Some distance away, Ai commented, "Pretty boy just beat Yoshie."

The brutish Stone-nin nodded. "Now we have to wait for Chiko to squash the boy."

The stone encased girl entered a clearing in before them.

Ai smirked. "You were saying?"

The Stone-nin shook his head in dismay and disgust.

"You might want to head for cover," Ai noted before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Where did that cockroach go?" Chiko demanded. She noticed her team captain jump into a ditch. "Huh?"

There was an Earth shattering explosion right behind her as numerous explosive tags attached to kunai that had been embedded in the stone armor's back. The giant fell forward crumbling apart as it crashed to the ground revealing a battered and bloodied little girl.

Katsuhara peaked out from where he was hiding. "I didn't kill her, did I?"

"Fucking cockroach," Chiko muttered. "I'll get you next time."

Ai leapt down from her perch, landing next to the girl. "Any of you trained for healing?"

The brutish Stone-nin shook his head. "Nothing beyond the basics."

"I've got some ointment that'll help her bruises, but I could use some help bandaging her," Ai told them.

"Sorry, Kizu," Chiko moaned.

"Learn from your mistakes," Kizu intoned. As he bandaged his fallen teammate, he commented, "You Leaf have more honor than I've heard about."

"The same can be said about you," Katsuhara returned.

"I never bothered much with history," Ai commented. "Too many names to remember and why they were supposed to be important. All the important stuff being absent."

"You mean like the reason that last great ninja war was fought because Konoha broke it's treaty?" Kizu suggested.

Yoshie looked confused. "Actually our history books said it was the Stone Country that broke it."

"I wasn't talking about either." Ai grinned at them. "They left out describing the cool jutsu used in battles!"

Chiko let out a pain-filled laugh. "Girl after my own heart."

"Try not to do that," Ai admonished. "And, besides, who was to blame for past mistakes will get us no where in the future. We should only learn from them so we don't repeat them. Most of the morons responsible for the last ninja war aren't in charge anymore and it's up to all of us to make sure such wars never happen again."

Ishi nodded. "I certainly don't mind the idea of making love not war."

"Yoshie, you better keep your pants on," Ai advised harshly. "It's dangerously easy to become pregnant."

"Yes, Mommy-Ai," Yoshie half-teased, half-mocked.

Kizu frowned. "You're a mother?"

Ai nodded curtly. "Doesn't matter if I am. You have no chance against me if you hold back."

Kizu shook his head. "It's more reason NOT to hold back. The most dangerous ninja I know is my mother."

"Don't worry, Kizu, we'll beat Mom yet," Chiko promised.

"All eight of us haven't done it yet," Kizu muttered.

Ai laughed. "This will be a good fight then."

Kizu ruffled the girl's hair. "You should just rest now, little sis. I'll take care of getting the scroll we need."

"Don't get your hopes up too much as it's not quite two on one." Ai smirked as she raised her hands. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Five copies of the girl sprang into existence and all six versions of Ai jumped into the trees.

Kizu pulled out a scroll and six ceramic jars appeared on the ground before him. "You know what to do with these."

Ishi nodded as he slowly submerged into the ground, dragging the pots with him.

Kizu frowned before he leapt up into the trees.

"Not your form of fighting, is it?" Ai questioned behind him.

A small flask appeared in Kizu's hand which he immediately threw where he heard the voice. A fiery explosion erupted but the Stone-nin could not be sure if he hit a clone or missed entirely.

"What, no special jutsu, just summoning explosives?" Ai taunted just out of sight.

"Just because my sister has all the talent doesn't mean I'm not a threat," Kizu returned.

"I know you are. That's why I'm taking you out before dealing with pretty boy and the explosives you gave him," Ai replied seriously.

"Why don't you try me face-to-face?" Kizu taunted.

"Tempting, but the jutsu impaired either go for their brains or brawn, you've seemed to have done both," Ai shot back.

"My, aren't you the flatterer. No wonder you landed a man so quickly," Kizu commented.

"Only because I know that a girl needs to be as subtle as this!" Ai emerged from hiding in a flying kick, aimed at the stone-nin's face.

Kizu ducked under the attack, and left a surprise. An explosion took out the clone.

* * *

"This isn't good at all," Ishi muttered.

"Why don't you go and join your teammate?" Yoshie wondered.

Ishi frowned deeply. "My jutsu is all Earth based. I'd be worse than useless up there."

Another explosion rocked the tree canopy, causing large burning branches to fall. Katsuhara covered Chiko's body with his own and was hit in the back as a reward.

"I'm not weak," Chiko muttered with a blush.

"But I did hurt you," Katsuhara moaned out.

Yoshie and Katsuhara didn't quite catch what was being yelled, but Ishi reacted immediately and raised an Earthen dome over everyone.

"What's going on?" Yoshie demanded.

"Kizu was working on this move for the tournament. Ai must really be running him ragged up there," Ishi replied.

Before another question could be asked, the ground shook and they were deafened as a massive explosion occurred above them.

Chiko giggled dementedly. "Kizu won."

"I wouldn't be to sure of that," Katsuhara replied. "Ai ain't normal."

Ishi poked his head out of the Earthen dome he created to shield them and did not like what he saw. The canopy had been cleared of leaves, making it hard to hide. However it was Kizu who needed to get out of sight as a hundred copies of Ai were demanding that his team leader surrender. What was worse all the explosives he had set on the ground had gone to waste, detonated by falling debris.

Kizu pulled out the scroll he held. "How are you this strong? I've fought jounin who weren't half as strong as you."

"Can't tell you," Ai replied simply.

Kizu shook his head. "A curse of our job. You win. Doubt Ishi would put up any real fight. I'll need our team healthy if we're going to get both scrolls."

Ai nodded as she caught the scroll her opponent threw at her. "Good choice, and good luck."

* * *

"Do I even want to know what happened up there?" Yoshie questioned after they were a good distance away from the combat zone.

"Hide and go boom, mostly." Ai let out a ragged sigh. "I kept using clones to draw his fire. His big attack nearly got me and would have if he didn't call it out to warn his teammates." She rubbed the back of her neck and laughed sheepishly. "Good thing he surrendered the scroll. I still haven't figured out how I would've gotten at pretty boy hiding in the ground."

Katsuhara shook his head. "So that last bit was just posturing?"

Ai grinned sheepishly. "Sometimes bluffs work the best."

Yoshie blinked as a squirrel ran past them. "You're not leaking chakra anymore?"

"I used up a lot of it fighting Kizu and I have no intention of drawing any attention to us now," Ai replied. "We're almost at the tower, and I'm ready to see my daughter and take a nap if she lets me."

Katsuhara laughed. "A nap does sound good."

Yoshie glanced to her side. "What should we do about the Rain-nin?"

"Huh?" Katsuhara emitted.

"Nothing unless they force us," Ai replied. "I doubt they're ready to face any team that has made it this far already. Especially a team as uninjured as we are."

"At least we've got a nice strong man to help us," Yoshie squealed suddenly hugging Katsuhara's arm.

Katsuhara's immediate response was to slam his fist at the girl's groin, who immediately crumpled into a heap and shifted into a guy holding his privates.

Ai groaned. "You know I hate genjutsu."

"Tell me about it," Katsuhara muttered. "Where's Yoshie?"

"You'd have a better idea than I would," Ai shot back, wishing Jiro was here to see through the crap.

"Surrender your scrolls or she gets a new smile," a dark man threatened.

Ai gritted her teeth.

"When was our first kiss?" Katsuhara questioned.

"We never kissed!" Yoshie cried out. "Save me already!"

Katsuhara glanced at Ai. "Still a fake."

"Figures." Ai pulled out a kunai and set to throw it when the captive and captor both suddenly collapsed.

Yoshie faded into sight behind them holding an iron rod. "How sexist are these guys?"

"Very." Ai groused.

"And to answer the question, when we were five." Yoshie glanced at Ai. "Katsuhara has lived next door to me all our life."

Katsuhara nodded. "It's her."

Yoshie riffled through the bag of the one who played the role of the captor and pulled out a scroll of the Earth.

Ai grinned. "Well we don't need it, but let's see if we can help another team." She took the scroll and with a little wind chakra sent it flying.

* * *

Once in the tower, Katsuhara and Yoshie broke the seals on the scrolls and activated them.

A cloud of smoke erupted and Tsunade appeared in front of them.

Ai smirked. "Told ya I'd have it done in two days."

Tsunade nodded. "I didn't have any doubt in that. How did things go in the Forest?"

"Yoshie is scary good with genjutsu, and Katsuhara is reliable when he needs to be," Ai praised.

"I'd go into the whole speech about Heaven and Earth, but I've got other things to deal with. Ai, you can show them the back way out," Tsunade informed them.

"Excuse me, Tsunade-sama." Katsuhara bowed. "While in the forest, Ai seemed to be on rather friendly terms with a group of Sand-nin."

Tsunade grinned. "Oh, I'm well aware of the time Ai spent in their company. That she was even naked in front of their Kazekage."

Ai flushed madly. "I wasn't naked! My clothes were ripped up from battle!"

"Is that the same battle where there's supposedly a lake?" Katsuhara wondered.

Tsunade nodded. "It's even been named Lake Ai."

"Wonderful," Ai groused.

"As I said, I'm rather busy and I'm sure Shinobu is missing her mother," Tsunade stated before disappearing in another cloud of smoke.

"Come on." Ai waved at the to follow her. "I'd like to get home."

Katsuhara nodded. "No arguments here."

* * *

Author's notes:

Coming next:  
Chapter 17 - Splitting Soul Jiro and Hinata begin their quest to learn the advanced Kage Bunshin from an insane jounin.

I hate these long dry spells. It takes forever to get back on track, especially with other story ideas nipping at me to be written. Let's hope the next chapter doesn't take nearly as long.


	18. Split Mission

**Between Deception and Truth**

**Chapter 17 - Split Mission**

_By: Lord Archive_

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all rights reserved. I'm only borrowing them.

* * *

Hinata stared at her hands, for now they were truly hers, not a henge. She was no longer the fake. Yet this was but the start, not the end. For this mission she would have to take the lead as it would lessen the risks. She needed to learn how to better separate herself from her other persona, and the one who could teach her how to do that might attack Jiro for being an attractive young male.

"Can Jiro hear me?" Ai questioned.

Hinata formed the hand signs and called out, "Kage Bunshin." Her copy quickly followed with, "Henge."

Jiro looked unsteadily at Hinata. "Sorry."

Ai raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

Jiro frowned. "Right after we switched I suddenly felt completely powerless. I tried to exert any control, and got nothing until she let me out."

Hinata pouted. "I'm afraid you may have to get used to it."

Ai scowled. "So, saying 'ya don't have to do this' won't mean anything."

Jiro and Hinata nodded as one.

Ai shook her head. "You both better remember that failure is an option. You BOTH have a spouse and a daughter waiting for you. Don't go die on me, or I'll never forgive you." She gave Jiro a good, hard kiss. She then transformed herself into Naruto and gave Hinata a similar kiss.

Tsunade had watched the entire exchange. "I will second Ai's words, and make it an order: The potential benefits are not worth your lives. If it gets too dangerous, come back to us."

"Yes, Ma'am," Jiro and Hinata immediately replied.

* * *

Hinata raced through the forest, their goal lay straight ahead of her. Without word or warning, the girl came to an immediate stop. "Hello... are you all... Kage-san?"

Five black haired ninja jumped down from the surrounding trees. The black hair seemed to be the only similar trait as each held a different eye color, yet certain facial features did make them appear related.

The tallest and most handsome of the group stepped forward. "This is a restricted area. What brings a Hyuuga here? Konoha is not foolish enough to set me free, are they?"

Hinata shook her head. "I have been sent to learn the secret of your advanced Kage Bunshin."

One of the ninja seemingly slithered up to the girl. "Why would a pretty noble girl want with that technique?"

The reply was 'Kage Bunshin' and 'Henge.' Jiro stood at Hinata's back, eyes active.

The ninja leapt back. "Sharingan AND Byakugan?"

Another ninja bounced closer. "Oh, wow! How did you manage that one? Did Orochimaru help you?"

Jiro may have shared Hinata's frown, but his thoughts went a step further, wondering if Kage had been subject to Orochimaru's ambitions, or worse, was still under the criminal's influence.

"Tsunade-sama supplied me with his body not knowing that I..." Hinata's voice trailed off.

The bouncing ninja giggled dementedly. "That you had a split in your head."

The lead ninja shook his head. "So you want to know how to form stronger shadows."

Hinata and Jiro both nodded.

The lead ninja folded his arms. "I suppose this is where I tell you 'no,' try to scare you away from learning it, and you spend the next few days trying to convince me to teach you anyway." He sighed. "This is not the full answer that you seek. Not even Orochimaru could separate us, only made us worse."

"We suspected that," Jiro admitted. "Nor is that our goal. We seek more freedom from each other. To be as siblings, not conjoined twins."

The lead ninja nodded. "Very good. However, you won't find Sharingan helpful with this technique. You will need to cut ties in your soul you don't know you have, yet not all of them as it will rend your soul and either make more personalities or outright kill you. Remain here, we do not want to risk Sukebe learning you are here."

* * *

"Are you sure we should do this separately?" Jiro questioned.

"Together you may fuse into one, apart and you may cut the other away," Kyou giggled, a demented looking version of Kage.

"We could be made whole?" Hinata wondered.

"Oh, yes. Together as one, yes, but the dangers are greater and both of you would be lost in the new whole." He poked the girl. "Is that what you want?"

Hinata shook her head. "I want to remain me."

"Then separate yet whole is your goal," Kyou intoned. "Hold hands and find your way into your collective mind. Good luck, it took me months and Orochimaru's drugs."

Jiro smirked. "Sharingan can help with that." Holding Hinata's hands his eyes seemingly peered straight into her head. Then both of their heads dropped as if they instantly fell asleep.

"Cheaters," Kyou giggled. "Though their trip is no less deadly as they may cut the wrong parts."

* * *

Twelve-year-old Hinata stood behind a tree, gazing longingly at Naruto as he continuously threw kunai at a target and missed. The boy was obviously frustrated with his repeated failure yet he did not stop.

"Do you see anything of yourself in this?" Hinata questioned.

"Admiration of his refusal to quit and the nagging voice in your head that we should be practicing as well." Jiro folded his arms. "The decision to watch for another moment, hoping to see him succeed was yours."

Hinata nodded shyly. "I suppose we will see a bit of ourselves in every action."

"We are one yet different," Jiro agreed. He reached out and closed his hand around an invisible thread the became golden with his touch. "However, this is certainly your shyness, your desire." With a glowing kunai he severed the thread.

The pair then moved on to the next room in their collective mind. Now the image of the past was Hinata practicing making illusionary copies of herself. She was able to make two images of herself yet they were not perfect copies. One stood tall and proud the other practically curled up into a ball.

"If there was ever a clue about my existence," Jiro muttered.

Hinata nodded. "If Tsunade-sama is right, this is all three of us. Me, you and the little girl that watched her father kill."

Jiro nodded and watched as the scene repeated, Hinata paying no mind as the sun had finished setting. "Yet this is me. The determination to finish our training despite your fear of upsetting father."

Hinata moved to look at her younger self. The strong look of determination was not one that often crossed her features. She sighed. "Maybe I'm not even here." She pulled upon the thread connecting herself to the scene and severed it.

The next room gave them both pause. Young Hinata stood weakly yet defiantly before Neji. The girl had already suffered blows from her cousin, the next could very well end her life but she would not accept defeat.

Hinata looked down. "Not in front of Naruto. I could not just accept defeat. Even if I lost, I had to at least say I gave it my all. That I did not quit."

"Father may not be here, but he would know what happened. To bow to Neji would would insult the main house. Father would be very displeased with me," Jiro added.

"As much as this looks like you," Hinata whispered.

"This is actually more you than me," Jiro admitted.

"But you are here. To quit would've been so easy. I knew I could not win, yet I needed your determination, your pride to get back up," Hinata pointed out.

Jiro let out a laugh. "For our family, for our love... this is both of us."

Hinata nodded.

* * *

"How are they doing?"

Kyou didn't twitch an eyebrow. "Here to see their progress, oh, great Chou? They are doing surprisingly well. With Sharingan they've already accessed their collective mind together and are able to look upon their past as one."

Chou, the lead Kage ninja, appraised the pair. "So they will not repeat our mistake."

"True, together they are less likely to both sever ties to the same event and create another persona that way, but there still lies the risk of severing ties that should not be cut. They have made a few needless cuts already, yet avoided one that could have hurt them deeply," Kyou related. "More obstacles lie ahead."

"They could still split themselves more by cutting the wrong thread that led to decisions the other would not make," Chou surmised.

"Yes, but there are other risks to carelessly cutting away ones bad choices, it could lead to the destruction of the self as they see themselves now," Kyou added.

"I know that all to well. I am the perfect soldier: loyal, honorable, and follows orders to the letter. The Yin to Sukebe's Yang. He's the dark ninja you unleash on the enemy to give them nightmares. Kage had so despised his dark side that his fragile mind tried to carve away his sins." Chou shook his head.

"And that only served to make a greater darkness within himself, and the opposite that he had wished to be when in reality both of you should be the same aspect. With the birth of Sukebe and Chou, the one known as Kage ceased to exist," Kyou affirmed.

"What sins and regrets might they wish to cut away?" Chou wondered.

"I can tell they have more than blood on their hands. It remains to be seen how they react to the evils in their life," Kyou giggled.

* * *

Hinata's first kill had been an instantaneous reaction. It was, after all, what ninja were trained to do, protect their comrades at any cost. Neither Hinata nor Jiro had remembered actually thinking about anything. If the ninja's attack was to strike Kiba, he would be killed. The fastest and surest method of defeating the enemy was with a killing blow. Both reluctantly admitted that if the situation were to occur again, the answer would be the same.

Jiro approaching the genjutsu Rain-nin, full well planning the death of his enemy was not so easy.

Again the scene looped before Hinata and Jiro as Sharingan trumped hard learned genjutsu. They watched as the younger Jiro inflicted torturous images into the enemy's mind before taking a kunai and purposely stabbed the boy through the eye and into his brain.

"If he didn't die, the mission would've been a failure," Jiro intoned.

Hinata pouted. "But the cruelty..."

"The Rain-nin had hurt Ai." Jiro shook his head. "Hurt OUR beloved. Not killing him would put Naruto at risk."

Hinata looked upon the enemy that had been killed so viciously. His last thoughts being a horrid genjutsu thrust upon his mind. His screams of anguish he cried out echoed even after his voice was snuffed out. "But the nightmare we inflicted on him..."

"It was a nightmare only one of us could come up with," Jiro returned.

"He was made to see life as if he was his perverted Jounin leader's girlfriend." Hinata shuddered. "To a girl that would've been cruel, to a boy..."

"That was an act of anger," Jiro pointed out.

"But whose anger, yours or mine?" Hinata wondered. "Could either of us really have been that angry?"

"You gave everything up for Naruto. You even became a boy. And how did Naruto give thanks for it? He ignored you," Jiro shot at her.

"You're saying this is ME? That I could do... that to someone?" Hinata squeaked out.

"He was a threat to Naruto, and the life you wanted with him," Jiro stressed.

Hinata clutched a hand over her chest. "Can't the same be said for you? We had given up so much and what little we had left, he threatened."

Jiro reluctantly nodded. "It would be so quick to blame me for this. Yet I feel that you were screaming inside me as I became less of you and more of me. Perhaps I also wanted to announce my existence in the only way I could. I don't think there is one answer to the actions here."

"This wasn't you or me..." Hinata whispered, "...it was us."

* * *

Shinobu began to cry and Tenten immediately moved to shush the baby. "You don't want to wake your mother," she pleaded.

Ai yawned as she quickly took her crying daughter. "Too late." She then grinned at her baby. "And thank you."

Tenten looked confused. "You need to be well rested in case you need to fight in the preliminaries."

"Hardly fair to the last minute qualifiers. Besides I was having a nightmare," Ai assured the girl.

"May I ask...?" Tenten wondered.

"It was a screwed up dream dealing with some of the worst aspects of the long mission," Ai half-explained. "I really don't want to go into it."

Tenten nodded. "I can understand. I've seen and done a few things I don't care to ever remember again."

"Part of the curse for being a ninja," Ai returned. She then brought her attention to her baby who was tugging at her shirt. "Aren't you a hungry one?"

Tenten wistfully watched as the young mother began to breast feed Shinobu. "Did your nightmare have anything to do with the mission in the Land of Waves?"

Ai shook her head. "Do you really want to go through another debriefing to learn about the secrets we've kept?"

Tenten pouted. "Maybe."

Ai chuckled. "Well, best you get ready for it. When Jiro gets back from his mission, you're going to learn more than you ever wanted to know about it."

Tenten frowned. "What sort of mission is he on?"

"It's a personal one. It's something he has to do for himself," Ai muttered out.

"Is it dangerous?" Tenten wondered.

Ai reluctantly nodded. "In more ways than one."

"When will he be back?" Tenten asked.

"By the time the Chuunin tournament starts." Ai would've folded her arms defiantly if she wasn't holding her daughter. "If he's not back by the end of the tournament, I'm going after him."

* * *

This, more than any other moment, was the one Jiro dreaded seeing the most. When he forced himself on Ai. "Go ahead and sever your tie to this."

Hinata reached out for the thread, but failed to grasp it.

"What are you waiting for?" Jiro demanded.

"Much as you pointed out that I was present when we killed..." Hinata looked shyly at her feet. "I... I may be here as well. You know the fantasies I've had."

"You know Naruto would never force himself on us," Jiro retorted.

Hinata folded her arms and pouted defiantly. "What do you call the morning after?"

"Ai wouldn't have done that if I hadn't forced her the night before," Jiro defended.

Hinata glanced over as Ai had her tongue down her lover's throat and was yanking down his pants. "I wouldn't call that 'forcing her.'"

Jiro frowned. "You're manipulating things. This isn't how it happened."

"Didn't it happen this way?" Hinata pressed.

"I forced her. She didn't want this," Jiro protested.

Hinata was now blushing deeply and looking away. "I'd say she wanted you. She's certainly... enjoying it."

"She couldn't have enjoyed it. She was a guy. She liked girls. And I... and I...," Jiro fell to his knees.

Hinata grabbed him by the head and pleadingly told him. "Look. Just look. You didn't force anything. It may not have been what we wanted. Yet it was a mistake WE made together, Ai included. As bad as Naruto was in expressing feelings, we were just as bad. I had so wanted this moment to be perfect, but... but it is the moment we had desired for a long time. It finally happened here. No more did Naruto overlook our intentions. We may not have said the words, but here Naruto knew of our love for him and returned it in the only way he knew how."

Jiro shook his head. "But Hinata... I..."

"You can't take this from me, Jiro." Hinata began to sob. "This is not our proudest moment. This isn't how we wanted it to be, yet it is how it happened. We exist for Naruto, and this is where we finally got his full attention. He sees us now. He sees us now."

Jiro hugged her. "Fine... You win." He then blinked as Hinata went slack in his arms. He was now back in the forest, Kyou was gone and a different Kage stood over them with a bloody kunai. "H-how? Sukebe?"

"I don't need her around. It has been too long since I've had a boyfriend." The ninja licked the kunai.

Jiro did not move as Hinata's lifeless body slumped to the ground. "I was the copy. How can I...?"

Sukebe chuckled evilly. "I will have to be careful. Don't want you disappearing on me. Now be a good boy and accept my love."

How could this be? Hinata couldn't be gone. He could still feel her, yet the blow was fatal. He could see her chakra fading onto death. This wasn't right. He reached out and touched her unmoving body, wishing for her to return to him as she had so many times before.

Hinata's body exploded into smoke.

"You're a fast study, boy," Sukebe grinned. "Now I can let the kid gloves come off."

"I think not. Kage Bunshin!" Next to Jiro appeared Hinata without need for a henge jutsu.

The ninja began to laugh and tossed away the kunai. "Training complete."

"Huh?" Jiro and Hinata emitted at the same time.

"I'm not Sukebe, rather I'm Shi, the Kage Shadow of Death." He did a back flip up into a tree. "I don't get to kill too often out here so they let me have a go."

"What just happened?" Hinata wondered.

"Separation and unity," cackled Kyou as he emerged from the trees. "Real and fake has no meaning to you. You may take different paths yet there is still but one home."

"You will find some things possible now. While hiding secrets is difficult, as Sukebe proved, you can now keep some things from each other," Shi told them.

Kyou grinned. "Yes, yet joined you will always remain. Memories and feelings shared will hold strong for at your heart you remain as one."

"As you might be able to tell, instant death is a bitch for you now as you'll need to consciously recall the body in order to re-summon your other self, and that can only be done by touch. You can disperse your own body at range, but at no more than a kilometer away," Shi advised.

"Though closer would be best. Weird I've always been, more so after at range I poofed," Kyou giggled.

Jiro nodded. "We'll keep that in mind."

Kyou waved. "Home you have found, now it waits for you."

"One last thing," Shi called out and Jiro fell dead with a kunai in his chest.

Hinata immediately dropped to her knees and wished him back into herself and then promptly called out, "Kage Bunshin." She sighed in relief as Jiro reappeared before her. "Don't think I'll get use to that."

Jiro patted his chest. "Neither do I."

Shi laughed. "You will."

* * *

Jiro carefully entered his home, mostly in concern that his daughter might be taking a nap. He turned hearing a slight noise behind him and saw his lover grinning at him.

"Couldn't stay away, huh?" Ai latched onto him with a hug and gave him a quick kiss. She then frowned as he squirmed slightly in her arms. He whispered, "She's in charge?"

Jiro merely nodded and whispered back, "We're being watched."

Ai laughed as she stepped back. "Nothing they haven't done."

Jiro giggled sheepishly. "Tenten-san, Neji-kun... there's something I need to tell you both."

Tenten shared the laugh as she entered the room, dragging Neji with her, leaving the door to Shinobu's room open in case the baby was to wake.

Jiro looked down. "I've spent the whole trip back trying to figure out the best way to tell you."

Ai shook her head. "Glad you're not going to delay it. Neji activate Byakugan"

Neji looked confused. "Why?"

"Easier to show you than to tell you," Ai told him.

Neji shrugged and activated his eyes. He then looked quizzically at Jiro. "What's with the jutsu?"

"I well..." Jiro trailed off.

"Shoulda guessed you could tell that much. Still, you recognize his chakra as being Jiro's, right?" Ai questioned.

"I have no reason to doubt it's him," Neji replied.

Ai smacked the back of Jiro's head and smoke erupted around him which quickly dissipated to reveal Hinata.

"You didn't have to do that," Hinata whined as she rubbed the back of her head.

Neji's jaw dropped.

Tenten looked confused. "Why was Hinata-chan using Jiro's image?"

"The chakra..." Neji muttered.

"If you think that's something. Henge!" With a puff of smoke Ai became Naruto.

"What sort of joke is this?" Tenten questioned.

Neji slapped his forehead. "The mission! Giving up your bloodline. Tsunade-sama... she gave you the other bodies."

Naruto blinked and then chuckled. "Got it one, cousin."

Neji stared at Hinata and pointed at the room behind him. "Who is her mother?"

"ME!" Naruto cheered.

"And Hinata..." Neji trailed off.

"Is the father," Naruto confirmed.

Tenten began to growl in frustration. "Will someone spell out what is going on?" She then seized up when Shinobu began to cry. She turned around and jumped seeing Jiro lifting his daughter out of the crib.

Hinata turned toward Naruto. "The training went well."

Naruto nodded. "That's good to hear."

"Explanations," Tenten demanded.

Naruto reverted back into Ai. "Now where to begin without spilling stupid secrets."

Neji folded his arms. "I have not been given any secrecy orders. I have been able to piece together how I lost to Naruto in the Chuunin exams. I had sealed off all his chakra. He should not have been able to move, yet he was able to continue fighting."

"And what does that have to do with this?" Tenten pointed at Ai and Hinata.

"In order to explain something else and how I learned the secret in case you get asked about it. You see, Naruto had a second set of chakra, one which I doubt could ever be fully blocked as it was certainly not human. I suspect it was the chakra of the tailed beast, Kyuubi," Neji told her.

"What?" Tenten cried out.

"Ah, Neji-niisan..." Hinata called out softly.

Ai smirked. "You realize I can't confirm or deny that."

Neji nodded. "Still there exists Jinchuuriki, human vessels that contain the power of the elemental tailed beasts, and while other nations may have a couple each, Konoha had just one, the Kyuubi. I could not find out more about it as much of the information regarding the tailed beasts is restricted. Even if my assumption is wrong, I know there is a special power within Naruto. One that was able to trump the Hyuuga's strongest arts. And that sort of power would attract the wrong sort of attention from enemy ninja and Naruto needed to go into hiding."

"Needed time to train," Ai corrected.

"To protect Naruto, Tsunade-sama taught him some sort of super henge," Neji surmised. "And to help guard him, Hinata would similarly learn the technique."

"Not so much a technique as gaining a new primary body with the old one acting as a default secondary one," Ai corrected. "Can't go into specifics, of course. From there we lived as our new bodies, pretending to be runaway lovers in a tiny town before we were discovered and then went to the Land of Waves as special protectors. We stopped pretending to be a couple months before you got there."

Tenten slapped her hand over her mouth. "Am I a dunce or something? Rock Lee had you pegged during the mission."

"Nah, you had the least amount of clues. Fuzzy Eyebrows got to see me fight all out, and I doubt he has a clue about why we got our new bodies," Ai assured her.

"Though I do wonder what's with the Bunshin?" Neji asked.

"I, um, Jiro is separate from me," Hinata replied timidly.

"Yet we are still the same person," Jiro added.

"You mean you split personalities?" Tenten questioned.

Jiro nodded. "Events in our life... caused damage to us. In a real way I am Hinata as if she was born a boy. We share memories, but as the training we just went through showed, we can view them very differently."

"What did the training do for you?" Ai wondered.

"We're neither real nor fake," Hinata replied.

Ai blinked. "Huh?"

Jiro handed Shinobu to her mother. "Easier to show than to explain." Jiro pulled out a kunai and cut open his right palm. Hinata frowned and followed suit by cutting the back of her arm. She then dispersed into a cloud of smoke. Jiro then called out, "Kage Bunshin." And Hinata appeared without any sign of injury. Then Jiro disappeared and Hinata produced him as the shadow clone.

Ai whistled. "Don't even need to henge."

"Right, but it also means we can't produce more copies of ourselves. If we did, it could lead to another personality," Jiro explained.

"Definitely not a technique for me." Ai smirked. "Good to know."

"The scary thing is... The reason why it was sealed..." Hinata swallowed. "It's not all that different from Kage Bunshin. It is how we shape the chakra that is different, not how we use it."

* * *

"Hinata, are you sure about this?" Jiro questioned.

"Honestly... no," Hinata admitted shyly.

"You don't have to push yourself," Jiro advised.

Hinata shook her head. "This... this is something I have to do... and not just for myself."

"You're the one who saw through our regrets," Jiro pointed out. "You have nothing to prove."

"No... I have everything to prove," Hinata affirmed. "There will be questions until I do this."

"I'll keep an eye on Shinobu," Jiro promised.

Hinata took tiny steps as despite her certainty of the need for this, it still scared her. A door loomed ahead of her and her hand shook as she opened it.

Ai let out a tired yawn and gazed lazily at the girl. "Something ya want?"

Hinata could only blush in response.

Ai patted the space next to her. "Are ya feeling all right?"

"I... I know you've been afraid that Jiro and I might make you choose, that we'd go our separate ways," Hinata hesitantly said.

Ai frowned. "You better not be making me choose."

Hinata shook her head. "Jiro and I... may be of two minds... but we are of one heart... yours." She leaned over and tentative gave the girl a quick kiss on the lips.

Ai hugged the girl. "I was afraid you would be the one to leave me."

"You were right the entire time. I am part of this family... I am Shinobu's father. It was our love for you that made us forget our mission. I accept that now." Hinata smiled shyly. "And Jiro also knows it was your love for us that made you forget it as well. He won't say he forced you anymore."

Ai grinned. "Good." She then let out a long yawn. "Now maybe I can finally get some sleep." She dragged the girl down with her as she laid down.

"Um... well... er... as Naruto," Hinata squeaked out with a deep blush.

"Yeah. Yeah. Later. Sleep now. May have to fight if there is a preliminary tournament tomorrow." Ai curled up against the red faced girl. "For now... just stay here with me."

Hinata finally began to relax. "Always," she promised.

* * *

Ai strutted into the arena that was hidden in the center of the Forest of Death. She nodded in recognition at the Sand-nin team Gaara once taught and then at the Stone-nin she had fought. She smirked as she noted the Rain-nin team she had come across was not yet present.

"Why did you pull us out? We still had time!" complained a group of Sand-nin that were irritably following Temari.

"You had no scrolls and this is more important," Temari snapped at them.

Ai raised an eyebrow. "What's up?"

Kakashi stepped out of seemingly nowhere. "An interruption in the exam for the Sand-nin and you. One of your old boyfriends has been kidnapped."

"Huh?" Ai emitted.

Tsunade strode toward them with Sakura trailing her, and the two other Sand-nin gennin teams in the exam moved toward the growing group. "We have received word that the Kazekage, Gaara, has been taken by the Akatsuki. Temari you are to take the gennin to the boarder garrison. Ai, Sakura, Kakashi you will go to Sunagakure and assist them as they see fit. If the situation allows for your return in one month, you will face your preliminary opponent the day before the official start of the tournament. Now go."

"Yes, Ma'am!" they all replied.

"Gaara-sama was taken?" Matsuri fretted. She then paused, blinked, and then stared at Ai. "You were Gaara-sama's GIRLFRIEND?"

Ai sent a glare towards Kakashi. "Hardly. He was just teasing me."

"Well, it's a good thing that he's had a girlfriend before. Less chance he's gay," Sen pointed out.

"Gaara-sama is too cool to be gay!" Matsuri protested.

Tetsuo nervously pulled at his bandages. "Actually the gay thing doesn't mean much with her."

Ai slapped herself in the face.

* * *

Author's notes:

After all this time mulling this chapter in my head, having only two scenes and a general outline worked out... very little of it made it to this chapter, mostly how the 'advanced' Kage Bunshin works, and I finally sat down and finish it in three days. At least this is now done.

I am aware the time reference in the manga and anime would technically have the attack on Gaara occur before the start of Chuunin exams. The delay here was brought on by the addition and then subsequent loss of Orochimaru's replacement in the Akatsuki.

I will not be rehashing the rescue Gaara arc as there won't be any significant changes to the events there beyond a bit of issues regarding Ai being Naruto. The next main chapter will start towards the end of that arc.

Inari's and Keiko's adventures will be detailed in a gaiden chapter which will likely be posted first.

Just a note about my website: due to lack of funds and that the price for the domain name became stupid expensive I was not able to afford it. I may some day put up a new website, but that will not be in the near future.

I will be running a fanfiction panel at JAFAX (Japanese Animation Film and Art eXposition) on either June 23rd or 24th, 2012 at Grand Valley State University in Allendale Michigan.


End file.
